Alex in Andromeda
by T-Rex Ninja Kid
Summary: After waking up in a Cerberus lab Alex Shepard is forced to accept that her life will never be the same again. Andromeda seems like a place she can start over. With new friends to make and new love if she can find the courage to open her heart. For Sara Ryder the Initiative was a way to prove that she was more than just Alec Ryder's daughter. (Femslash Femshep & Sara R)
1. Chapter 1

ALEX IN ANDROMEDA

A/N. Hi guys. This story is a spin off from my Shepard's Saga series. It's a clone Shepard story with a twist. In case you've never met my Alex Shepard this is a brief history. Alex was born on Mindoir, where she met her best friend Ashley Williams, who would become her girlfriend, lover and future wife. No the Williams family were not there when the colony was attacked. Alex's military career led her into special forces while Ash was a Marine NCO. Alex ended up being in command at Torfan, which resulted in her becoming an N7. From Eden Prime onward I did tweak a lot to make it make sense to me plus by that point the story was more or less writing itself. (Yes, I will update and finish my other stories as well) I like Mass Effect Andromeda, and it totally sucks that they wont finish off the story properly. Except maybe in book form but its not the same reading about Scott Ryder if you played as Sara or vice versa. Anyway so I suddenly had bits of this story rolling around in my brain for the last week so I thought I'd better write it down :p Of course being me I can't just simply put everyone's favorite human Spectre into a cryopod to wake up in Andromeda. This is what I came up with…..

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CHAPTER 1

A blaring siren made the pounding in her head even worse and she already thought a Krogan was using the inside of her skull as a punching bag. The room's lighting was too bright. She tried to lift her arm to shield her eyes to find she couldn't move. She was strapped to a cold metal table.

Spectre Alex Shepard had no idea where she was or how she'd got there, the last concrete memory she had was of the newly appointed Councilor Anderson ordering her and her crew to mop up the remaining Geth while hunting down more leads on the Reapers. Sovereign the ship that the rogue Spectre Saren had used was only a single reaper and it had taken every ship they had to take it down. Only the Asari and some humans believed her about the visions she had received from the Prothean beacon on Eden Prime.

Alex pulled at her restraints again as she heard muffled gunfire. It didn't matter how hard she struggled she couldn't get free, she couldn't use her biotics either.

The weapons fire was much closer now and Alex could distinguish different weapons mingled with biotics. Small squad, very well trained.

Alex turned her head and opened her eyes slowly to see if she could locate the door, not that she could defend herself. She didn't find the door what she did see made her blood run cold. There was an orange and black symbol on the wall.

Cerberus!

But that also meant the firefight outside could be an Alliance squad raiding the facility. Or C-Sec.

The possibility of getting out so she could find out what happened to her wife and the rest of her crew increased dramatically.

Alex tried desperately to remember how she'd ended up here but she drew a complete blank. So long as Ash, Abby and Cassidy were okay.

The gunfire stopped and in the sudden silence she heard a muffled turian voice in the hall. "Fire in the hole."

A moment later the door blew off it's hinges. The deafening sound made Alex's ears ring.

"We got a live one here."

That voice. Alex recognized that voice. She opened her eyes to see her old friend and former CO.

"RILEY!"

All Alex's relief vanished a split second later as the N7 Officer pointed her gun right at her face.

"How do you know me?"

"What?" The Spectre was beyond confused, how could her friend not know her? Alex could see Cayla watching from the doorway, the asari commando should know her too. "Cayla?"

The asari narrowed her eyes as she studied her.

"What the hell did Cerberus do to me?" muttered Alex, "It's me."

"Me who?" demanded Riley then ordered Cayla to check the computer.

"It's me Alex…." Still nothing. "Alex Shepard, N7. First human Spectre….Your friend." As she spoke she could see Riley's eyes widen with shock. Alex was getting a REALLY bad feeling.

"Not possible," replied Riley, "Because last time I checked Alex Shepard was human. And dead."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Sara Ryder had managed to drink herself tipsy, no mean feat for a biotic adept. She was waiting for an old friend of her dad's to meet her. At the last minute she'd been instructed to go to Grissom Academy where she'd gone to school. Though only some of the older students would remember her. She hadn't joined the military like her twin brother Scott had, she loved history too much and ended up with a small archaeological team that were looking for Prothean artifacts. Her father was an ex N7 so she knew how to fight and one of their guards was an ex asari commando who'd taught her some biotic tricks that you wouldn't find in any manual. Then her father's research into AI's had been made public and he was thrown out of the military in disgrace.

Sara's career was over she had tried going solo as a free lancer. So long as the people buying from her didn't know who she was anyway.

Scott had joined their dad. Alec Ryder had been approached about his AI research for a very ambitious project known as the Andromeda Initiative. Basically a one way trip to another galaxy. Alec had asked her to join but she was so angry with him for destroying her life and her mom dying from from cancer caused by eezo exposure, the same exposure that gave Sara her biotics. That she wanted as much distance as she could between them. Her brother could just about levitate a coffee cup when he tried really hard, he was much better at fixing things and had become a decent combat engineer.

Of course Alec had asked her to go but it was for Scott that she was going but until they were ready to leave she was going to carry on doing her own thing.

After the Geth attacked the Citadel the Andromeda Initiative got a huge financial boost and could suddenly get anything they needed. Sara heard all this from her brother and never really paid much mind to it till a few days ago when she got a message saying they were leaving in 6 weeks.

So Sara had sold her shuttle and all her stuff then headed to her old school. Her father had got her assigned to his Pathfinder team for her knowledge of archaeology, which meant she needed a SAM implant. Simulated Adaptive Matrix was what the AI was called, she wasn't entirely sure how she felt about having another person, if that was even the right term, in her head but she knew her mom had talked to it and also had the implant to see if SAM could slow down her disease. It had worked for a while. Sara wasn't mad at SAM for failing but she was furious with her dad for not telling her that they were using the AI in the first place.

Sara sighed and ordered another drink, Andromeda couldn't be any worse than what her life here had become. Silently she toasted her new life as she downed her drink before going to find her bed in the school's guest wing.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Dr Lexi T'Perro looked over the data from the Cerberus lab then over at the sedated asari on the bio bed. It was totally unbelievable but all the data was backing up the fact that the asari was indeed Alex Shepard. Well, more like her mind was.

As soon as Riley spoke and Alex had looked down and seen blue hands. Asari blue hand she had panicked and Cayla had given her a shot as Riley had held her down.

"Hey doc, any change?" asked Riley entering with 2 cups, coffee for her and tea for the doctor. She felt awful at how she had broke the news to Alex, she sighed as she sipped her drink.

"She'll sleep for another hour at least. What?" asked Lexi raising an eyebrow curiously, the human looked even more agitated than she had when they'd brought Alex in.

"Does the data say anything about Alex's body?"

"Why?" Lexi began running through what she'd read so far.

"I called Anderson and a few days ago Alex walked into his office. Alive and well."

Lexi almost choked on her tea.

"Cerberus rebuilt her and gave her a ship."

"Why?"

"To find and stop whoever is taking our colonists," replied Riley, "The Council reinstated her Spectre status."

"The data refers to a Project Lazarus, that must have been the human Alex," said the doc thoughtfully.

"Here," said Riley activating her omnitool. "This is a med file of what they did to bring her back. Your eyes only."

Lexi nodded as she started reading.

"Any idea what they were trying here?" Riley waved in the sleeping asari's direction.

"As far as I can tell they were attempting to duplicate her biotics," replied Lexi, pausing to sip her tea before it went cold.

"But why use an asari teenager?" The asari body that Alex was in was only 94 the equivalent of a 17 year old human.

"She's had a twin like Alex who had no biotic ability at all."

"Okay, so she's probably above average biotically," mused Riley.

"Cerberus has also implanted her with the exact same type of implants as Alex."

"What! Asari don't need anywhere near the same number." She had heard about the damage Alex had done to herself biotically flipping a shuttle to save her life.

"They also replicated the damage, the girl was declared brain dead but they kept her alive to see if Prothean nanites extracted from Alex would fused her implants and nervous system together." Lexi was absolutely disgusted with the people who had done this to a young innocent girl.

"Did it work?" asked Riley, "And how did they put Alex in there?"

"Yes it worked but simulation were inconclusive as to whether she would be able to produce the hybrid biotics that Alex could...can. The nanites seem to have Alex's memories and as the host body was…..."

"Empty?" suggested Riley helpfully.

"Essentially yes, so as the nanites repaired the damage Alex's memories were …..."

"Installed?"

Lexi nodded, it was as good as a term as any.

"I bet they weren't happy about that."

"There plans for a control chip," agreed Lexi. "Does Alex's wife know about her? I mean the other one?"

Riley nodded, "He called her to the Citadel so Alex could tell her in person."

"No force in this universe will keep those two apart for long," said Lexi with a sigh as she glanced at her patient.

"True, they need each other so this Alex will have no one because I know no matter how much it breaks her heart she won't interfere." Riley scrubbed her face, "Damn I wish I hadn't said anything until I knew for sure."

"Don't blame yourself," said Lexi gently rubbing the woman's shoulder, "As soon as she saw herself she'd have panicked. N7 training or no, no one is prepared to wake up in a different body." The doc watched as Riley assimilated that though, "What's the plan?"

"We go to the Citadel Anderson wants to talk to her, he's going to suggest that she goes with you to Andromeda. Her skills and experience will be invaluable and she'll never have to worry about bumping into anyone she knows."

"Then why aren't we going straight to Grissom?" asked Lexi, "I'm doing Sara's implant, I assume Alex will need one too." Suddenly Riley looked extremely uncomfortable.

"She also needs to learn how to be an asari. Learn how to meld."

For the life of her Lexi couldn't figure out why that would make the N7 squirm, "Alex has experienced meld's before."

"Yes, knowledge melds….she needs to to know how to do it herself and all the other kinds of melds as well."

Lexi blushed as she realized what Riley was implying, "You mean a mating meld."

"I do," said Riley slurping the last of her now cold coffee, "And Tevos has someone in mind to teach her."

They both knew how devastated Alex was going to be when she was brought up to speed with everything that had happened in the 2 years since the Normandy was destroyed. Lexi's other job was as ship's therapist and a complete break from the past could help the ex human make a new start.

"You know asari can have sex without melding, right?"

"I figured," admitted Riley, "But I'm not sure Alex can. The only person she's ever had is Ash and I'm pretty sure they were already in love the first time they did it."

Lexi agreed with that statement, she saw the N7 suddenly look very serious.

"Promise me you'll look after her."

"I will."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

The Valiant docked at the Citadel a few hours after Alex had woken up, during that time Riley told her as much as she knew about her old crew and about the preparations that the Alliance and asari were making in secret to fight the reapers. The hardest part was knowing that the other her would have a chance at getting Ash back. She also had her first Asari lesson from Lexi about how human and asari taste buds were different. To an asari coffee was very bitter, even lots of sugar didn't help much. Alex as a human had tolerated asari tea but found it tasted totally different now. Riley gave her a sip of her coffee and Alex had almost gagged.

"Do you know who's body this used to be?" asked Alex as they got ready to disembark. "I mean what are the chances of someone recognizing me…..her."

"It looks like Cerberus wiped everything," replied Riley, "C-Sec can run your DNA but what if Cerberus finds out and try to get you back?"

Alex could guess, they wouldn't care how many people they hurt or killed. "I'd need a back story just in case."

"I'm sure they'll sort all that out," replied Riley leading Alex through the docks towards the Council offices, she hadn't mentioned anything about the meld training, right now her friend felt like she'd just lost her wife and the rest of her family as well.

Riley gave Alex the biggest hug ever when they reached the offices knowing she'd most likely never see her again. Finally she let go. "Good luck Alex. Keep an eye on Lexi. Make sure she has some fun."

Alex grinned, "I'll try. Just remember to act surprised if you ever run into me out there."

"I'll play dumb." Riley saluted the shorter asari before leaving. Alone Alex clenched her fists. Lexi was getting her everything she needed to take with her and she had no personal belongs at all. She'd never heard of the Andromeda Initiative before but she wouldn't have gone, not without her family and the reapers were coming.

The door opened and she was ushered inside straight into the arms of David Anderson she didn't know she'd started crying until she felt his arms tighten around her. Much later Anderson explained the Andromeda Initiative. How Jien Garsen had started it with the idea to travel to another galaxy and that they had gotten a good look at it thanks to the Geth converting a mass relay into a FTL telescope.

When the Geth attacked Eden Prime and they'd learned about the Reapers and their cycle of destruction every 50 000 years they had turned Garsen's dream into Plan B. Ensure the survival of the Milky Way species. To that end they'd built additional Arks. The Human, Asari, Turian and Salarian Arks were complete. The Quarian Ark was more complicated as it was going to house multiple species, but would be launched as soon as it was ready.

Alex was stunned though having a back up plan was a good idea.

"Until you get to Andromeda the less people who know your true identity the better, Riley and her team have been sworn to secrecy. Alec Ryder will know as does Dr T'Perro. SAM will obviously too. Any others will be at your discretion."

"Who will everybody think I am?"

"I think a name that keeps you grounded and reminds you of who you are will be best."

Alex spun round at the new voice, Councilor Tevos had entered the room. The ex human didn't quite know what to do in way of greeting until Tevos swept her into a quick embrace.

"Goddess be with you Alex."

"Hi. You have an idea for a name?"

Tevos pulled out an identity chit and held it out.

Alex stared at it as soon as it was loaded into the omnitool that Riley had given her Alexandra Samantha Shepard would cease to exist. "It's not super hard to say is it?"

The asari councilor chuckled, "No."

Alex took a deep breath and activated the chit. Then opened the info.

ALEX T'SONI.

"Really?"

Tevos smiled, "It is not uncommon for younglings to change their names to those of famous athletes, actors or heroes."

Alex blushed at that last one.

"You will never be confused and I'm sure T'Soni will remind you of your adopted family. Liara once said family is why you fight so fiercely in battle, you protect those you love."

"I….did," said Alex softly.

"You will find another family."

"How do you know?"

"Because you have a great capacity for love, Commander."

"I'm not a Spectre anymore."

"True, you will be whatever you wish to be. Follow me."

"Where?"

"A trusted friend. There are things you need to learn."

"Like what?"

"How to meld. Another asari could guide you in a knowledge meld but you would have to know how to meld with a human."

"You…." Alex swallowed, not liking where this was going, "You said melds. Plural?"

"I did."

"I don't think I can….do that…."

Tevos rested her hands on the smaller asari's shoulders, "Alex, Ashley want you to be happy, you know this. You are both soldiers, surely you have spoken about what would happen if one of you fell in battle?"

Alex nodded, "We have and you're right." Ash would want her to move on and find happiness again.

Their destination was a private appartment in one of the most expensive areas to live. Tevos unlocked the door and led the now very nervous asari inside.

A figure rose from the couch and Alex's lower jaw hit the floor, standing in front of her was the asari Consort Sha'ira.

"I'll leave you to your lessons. Goddess guide you both."

"When I heard of your death I thought my gift of words was wrong but now I see they were not only for you but for myself as well." Sha'ira led Alex to a small table with a teapot on it. "I will confess that this is a relaxing brew as is the scent from the flowers on the table over there."

Alex hadn't even noticed the vase of bright purple blossoms.

"Also your age is an advantage."

"What? Why?"

The Consort grinned, "Because you are as you humans say...a horny teenager."

Alex hid her flushed face in her hands as Sha'ira laughed.

"We will start with the easy meld. I will meld with you and show you how then you will meld with me. Once you have got it right then we will move on to the more advanced lessons. Which I guarantee you will enjoy immensely."

The older asari's voice had become very seductive and Alex could feel her heartbeat increase. The ex human huffed out a breath. She knew she had no choice, if she didn't do this now she'd have to find an asari in Andromeda that she trusted to show her how and the only asari she knew and trusted enough was Lexi and that would just make things super awkward between them. Right now Alex could count her friends on one hand so she wasn't going to risk losing her. Besides she was never going to see Ash again and her new body had never touched her. She had to accept that.

"Okay lets do this."

TBC….

A/N. Thanks for reading. I know this was more focused on Alex :) Thanks for reading. And if you'd be so kind as to take a moment to review, I'd appreciate it. For everyone following my other stories. Fear not, my creative juices are flowing again I will be updating the others soon. Stay tuned. Have fun T-Rex :)


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Dr Lexi T'Perro had never done an impulsive thing in her life until now. She looked down at the wrapped flat oblong package in her hands. She had purchased everything that Alex was allowed to take to Andromeda and had even packed it for her. The less reminders Alex had the better. The doctor couldn't even imagine being in her friends shoes right now.

Alex had called to tell her that Councilor Tevos had already arranged for melding lessons, Lexi knew the ex human would have no trouble with knowledge melds, a deeper physical bond however….

Lexi sighed she'd always been slightly envious of Alex's marriage, now her friend was going to have to be intimate with someone who wasn't Ashley. She looked back down at the package in her hands, she had decided that Alex needed something from her old life to ground her while she acclimated to her new one. To that end she'd scoured the Extra net for pictures of the Spectre, the one she'd settled on was taken after the ceremony honoring all the people who had fought and died at the Battle of the Citadel. It was a shot of her entire ground team. Before she could overthink it she slid the now framed picture into the box and sealed it.

The box would be sent straight to the Hyperion. The label read, A T'Soni. Pathfinder Team. Ark Hyperion.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Alex woke in an empty bed for which she was thankful, Sha'ira had been surprisingly gentle. The Consort had shown her how to meld with another s mind then started asking her questions and wanted her to meld to show her the answers. The more relaxed Alex got with the process the deeper Sha'ira went. The ex human knew the older asari could sense the guilt that she felt about cheating on Ash. The Consort's solution was to ask Alex to remember any conversation she had had with her bond mate about one of them dying.

Alex Shepard had been declared KIA 2 years ago. She had told Ash that she would always love her and that she wanted her to be happy. To let herself meet someone else and fall in love again. It sucked that it wouldn't be her but at least it was the _other_ her and she knew the Spectre would love and protect her family and friends to her last breath, hopefully it wouldn't happen for a very long time.

"Okay," sighed Alex, quietly. "I'm ready."

Sha'ira had nodded and initiated the meld. Whatever Alex had been expecting it wasn't for the Consort to show her some of her own former lovers. Seeing and feeling what the older asari had proved her comment about Alex's age. Though she could have done without the image of a large naked male turian in the shower. Sha'ira had quickly realized Alex's preference for the female form.

Alex felt her cheeks flush, a mating meld was absolutely mind blowing. She couldn't even comprehend what it would feel like if she loved the person she was with. Her clothes were neatly folded on the bedside table with a data pad on top.

Curiously Alex picked it up and turned it on. The older asari had left her another Gift of Words.

 _Commander_

 _I know you will face your new life with the same bravery that you always have._ _A different face may look back at you from the mirror but everything that made the Council choose you as a Spectre is still inside of you._ _Your strength comes from your heart because you fight for those that you love._ _Never deny that._ _Goddess Light Your way._

Alex left the data pad on the bed as she dressed. She hadn't realized how different asari senses were, even though she had slept for a few hours her new body was still humming maybe that was why a lot of asari maidens became dancers? Except for super focused ones like Liara.

That reminded her that another asari was probably wondering if she was okay. Alex called a sky cab as she munched on an energy bar. It was official Alex Shepard was dead because she'd never be unfaithful.

Now she had to decide what kind of person Alex T'Soni was going to be.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Sara made her way to Grissom's docks to meet Lexi T'Perro who was going to be the Pathfinders team doctor. Sara had known her since her father had gotten involved with the Initiative. She was surprised to find Lt Kahlee Sanders already waiting.

"Ma'am?"

"I haven't seen you around much," commented Kahlee.

"I've been running the Gauntlet," admitted Sara, referring to the Academy's combat training area. "I wanted to see if I could beat my old score."

"Did you?"

"No."

"If I remember right, you ran it with your brother. Going solo is always much harder."

"Has any student done it?" Sara knew an N7 officer held the solo time record. Only Scott knew that Lt Shepard was her idol, she'd been taught by her for a few months. The Lt had lost her biotics but she was still happy to give pointers. Sara excelled in her battle tactics class, she came up with the craziest battle plans. Some worked and some didn't.

"A few have come close..." Kahlee was interrupted by the VI announcing the shuttle was about to dock.

Sara knew Lexi was bringing another member of their team to get a SAM implant too, what she didn't expect was to see an asari. Lexi was an expert in alien anatomy so that made sense but to have an asari on the human Pathfinder team didn't. She watched as the newcomer was wrapped in a bear hug by Kahlee. She wasn't dressed like a commando, in fact she was wearing a Blasto hoodie. For a moment their eyes met.

"Sara you're looking well," said Lexi, smiling at the young woman.

"Hey doc, right back at ya."

"Do you know where we're staying?" Lexi was carrying Alex's bag as well.

"Sure, let me help."

Lexi glanced back for a second glad that Alex had a friend she could talk to. The young asari had been very quiet since her lessons. Alex was dealing with her new situation reasonably well, all things considered.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Alec Ryder read the med file that Councilor David Anderson had sent him again, he'd jumped at the chance to have another N7 on his team. It also gave him options he didn't have before. If he split his team he was originally going to put Cora Harper and Sara in the same squad, both were biotic and could work off each other. However the ex Spectre's laid back command style would probably suit his daughter better. He would have liked Alex to come and train with the rest of the team but her biotics needed testing and Grissom was the best place for that.

He wasn't a sentimental man but he knew if Ellen were here she'd say the new asari needed a friend and Sara had always had a knack for getting on with everybody. Scott on the other hand was at that age where he thought he was God's gift to woman and hit on anything with two legs and breasts, that was the last thing Alex needed. Plus having them train together for a week or two would get his daughter used to squad tactics.

Cora was his second but if anything happened to him the she would need a second. Scott had joined up like his old man but it was Sara he could see following in his footsteps. N7's had to think on their feet, Scott always relied on his training first.

His plan was to train Sara as Harper's replacement. Alex being an asari couldn't be a human Pathfinder. Besides no one would know who she really was.

Shepard…..T'Soni, he'd have to remember that, wasn't the only ex spectre in the Initiative.

"I'm just going to call her Alex."

SAM. "That would imply that you know her."

"I know of her," replied Alec, "And Anderson has told her to stick to the truth as much as possible. She knows Dr T'Perro so I can say I met her that way. Coming with us was a last minute decision."

SAM. "A plausible explanation."

"I just have to figure out why I have an asari on my team."

SAM. "A very young asari."

"Thanks SAM." That was going to be harder to explain. Cora had spent years with an asari commando unit, one of her teammates had been a biotic prodigy and she was 200. That was exceptionally young for a commando, Alex was less than half that. "Make a note for me to tell her not to tell anyone how old she is."

SAM. "Of course though she may already have told Sara."

"Message Dr T'Perro and ask her to ask Alex not to." Hopefully Alex won't have shared that information yet. Once they were in Andromeda he would reassess the situation. Anyway there were things he needed to tell his kids too.

Alec sighed he really hoped to could repair his relationship with Sara. He turned back to Alex's med file. What Cerberus had done was truly astounding. Maybe the data would come in handy one day.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Sara woke to the smell of coffee and sat up to find Alex holding out a steaming mug. There was a teachers conference on, space was at a minimum so the two asari had set up cots in the room she was staying in. There was no sign of the doc.

Sara stared at the cup for a moment before accepting it.

"It won't bite," said Alex watching the still sleepy human. She'd recognized her instantly and as soon as Lexi had told her about the rest of the team she knew. Sara had been a bright student and a strong biotic and Alex had been a little surprised to hear that she'd not joined the Alliance.

"Um….no offense but most asari can't make decent coffee." She raised an eyebrow as the asari smirked.

Sara sipped slowly then gasped, it was really good. "You work in a coffee house or something?" she teased.

"Or something," returned Alex, picking up her cup of Earth tea which didn't taste too bad.

"You learned for someone, huh?"

Alex froze.

And Sara wished she could kick herself, "Sorry. Please just forget I asked."

"It's okay, maybe I'll tell you one day." Luckily Sara seemed to understand that she didn't want to talk about it.

"Have any plans for today?" asked Sara completely changing the subject. "Since Lexi's doing our implants tomorrow."

Lexi wanted before and after scans so the op had been pushed back a day.

"Some testing this morning," replied Alex, "Then I'm going to run the Gauntlet this afternoon."

"By yourself?"

"Why?"

"I tried yesterday and couldn't beat my old time."

"Are you doing anything later?" Alex hoped the human wouldn't get the wrong idea.

"Why? Do you have anything in mind?"

"We could team up and run it together."

"Sure, why not. It could be fun." Since Sara didn't have anything to do she went to watch her new teammate. As Sara was going to be in Andromeda as well Alex saw no reason to keep her out.

That allowed her to see the asari's scans. Sara's jaw dropped when she saw how many implants Alex had. Most asari didn't have any at all, the ones that did were usually commando's or mercs. Implants increased their power and endurance but she had never heard of an asari with the same number that humans had. Maybe it was why she was on the human Pathfinder team. Obviously her dad had to know because he must have pulled all the strings to get her there.

There was no reason why she couldn't observe her teammate. In fact she was pretty cute.

And she could make coffee!

Kahlee stopped the tests just before midday and ordered Alex to shower then eat something.

"Why don't you shower and I'll round up some food. I'm sure the cafeteria will be packed by now." offered Sara.

"Thanks."

"Hey, are you allergic to anything?" asked Sara as she started walking away.

"I don't know," said Alex with a shrug.

The human shook her head and filed that response away under the list of growing oddities that she had noticed.

Alex realizing her mistake added, "I mean if I am, I haven't tried it yet." Sara had already vanished.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

It took all of 5 minutes for Sara to know that the asari next to her was more than just a regular soldier. Alex was a crack shot, the training robots were going down like bowling pins. They were nearly halfway through the Gauntlet and Sara's own time was being obliterated.

The asari could have easily run it by herself.

 _Who are you?_

 _Really?_

TBC…..

A/N. Thanks for reading guys. Hope you enjoy :). Thanks a million for the follows, fav's and reviews. Stay tuned and have fun. T-Rex :)


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

It was less than a week before the Hyperion's departure and Sara had suddenly wanted one last walk around on the Citadel. Of course she had dragged Alex along with her.

Alex wasn't thrilled at first but Lexi had said it would be a good idea, she wasn't using any of her personal luggage allotment maybe she could buy some things and she would be able to say goodbye to David and Councilor Tevos. Though she hoped to avoid a certain asari Consort.

"I thought you might want to spend some time with your brother before we go into cryo," said Alex, following Sara on their way to a small hotel.

"We grew up here, my dad was the Military attache. We moved to earth when my mom got sick."

"I'm really sorry," Alex patted her friends back, "I'm a colony kid."

"Thanks," said Sara glancing over, the way the asari talked was yet another odd thing to add to the growing list. The more time she spent around the asari the less she realized she knew. "Let's dump our stuff and go for lunch?"

"Sure."

After lunch they went shopping.

Alex stopped dead.

"I'M COMMANDER SHEPARD AND THIS IS MY FAVORITE STORE ON THE CITADEL."

"Holy….. the rumors are real! She really is alive!" laughed Sara.

"Yeah," muttered Alex, it reminded her of what she'd lost, what the human her still had. She needed a drink or fifty.

Sara sensed the shift in her friend. "Let's check out the gift shop."

Having nothing better to do the young asari agreed, besides she didn't need clothes or weapons and armor, the Initiative would provide them. Lexi had already sent off her measurements. Most asari commandos made do with shield generators to augment their biotic barriers, a few would wear a chestplate as well but Alex was used to a full hard-suit. The only change was she would have a breather mask instead of a helmet. Asari were much tougher than humans in harsh environments. "You have any space left?"

"I didn't take anything from home except my music collection and then when my dad joined the Initiative he sold everything. He called and asked if I wanted anything but I…..." Sara hadn't explained the rift between her and her father to her friend and didn't know how to now. She'd still been so angry she had told him to throw everything away, now she regretted that. "I have about half my allowance left."

"Looking for something specific?"

Sara shrugged, "I don't have a clue, something to remind me of the Milky Way I guess."

Alex on the other hand didn't. While the human mooched over to the souvenir section she went to look at the ship models. Her eyes immediately fell on a small replica of the Normandy.

"Hey, you okay?" asked Sara softly, once she noticed that the asari hadn't followed her she had turned in time to see Alex's eyes fill with tears. What connection could the asari possibly have with the human Spectre's ship? The only asari on it was….. Liara T'Soni.

Wait….T'SONI!

The only thing that stopped her from blurting that out was sheer shock. Were they related? Sisters? She was sure that Matriarch Benezia only had one child. A cousin maybe? Liara helping to take down the rogue spectre had redeemed her name. Could Alex be running from something? And how did she end up on her father's Pathfinder team? So many questions. She wanted Alex to trust her, to tell her the answers herself. She liked Alex a lot. More than she'd liked anyone in a long time.

"Fine." Alex put the model back on the shelf and turned to look at the Blasto merchandise.

Sara didn't believe her for a second. "There's another reason I wanted to come, when we found out about Andromeda me and Scott made bucket lists of stuff we wanted to do before we left."

"A bucket list?"

"Yeah it's a list of..."

"I know what one is."

"Okay good, I only have one thing left to do on mine."

"And that is?"

"To sleep with an asari."

"What?!"

"We wanted to have one the same and it was the only thing we could agree on." Sara sighed, "But unlike my brother I can't just walk into a bar and hook up with someone."

Alex was speechless.

"And while I love my brother I know he'll never let me hear the end of it." Suddenly Sara turned to Alex, "You're asari."

"Um….yeah."

"Would you…...consider….." Sara took a deep breath, "Just one night, no strings, no melding. Tomorrow we'll go back to being what we are now."

"Talking about having sex?"

Sara went bright red then punched Alex's arm hard, "Friends idiot."

For a moment Alex was quiet, getting laid was definitely a better idea than drinking herself into oblivion. She ignored the little voice in the back of her mind telling her it wasn't going to be that easy to go back to just being friends.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"But I'm taking you to dinner first," said Alex, just hopping into bed seemed wrong.

"I'd like that."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Lt Cora Harper read through the finalized squad list, it had been shuffled to accommodate a last minute change of personnel. She couldn't believe that there was an asari in the human Pathfinder's team. She wasn't even a commando.

"Sir."

"Hmmmm." Alec Ryder looked up from his data pad, where he was his gear.

"What combat experience does this T'Soni have?"

"Worked with the Rapid Response teams." replied Alex, "Mixed teams of humans, turians and asari."

Cora had almost been assigned to one of those but instead she had been sent to an asari commando unit. So she could fight.

"She was under an N7 Captain."

"Why is she not going on the asari Ark?"

Alec met his second's confused gaze, he had been considering what if anything to tell his team. Until they left there was a real danger of Cerberus trying something if they learned of her location. Although he'd instructed Alex to keep her true identity secret for now Cora needed to know if anything should happen to him, Lexi knew and if his daughter and Alex became friends then she'd find out sooner or later. Still it would be safer to tell her when the Milky way was far behind them. "There are special circumstances that I'm not at liberty to discuss just yet."

Cora wasn't in the habit of questioning her superiors orders, she nodded once.

"Hey dad. Cora." Scott Ryder was carrying an assault rifle and his helmet, he had been on guard duty and his shift had just finished. He gave the Lt his most charming smile.

Cora rolled her eyes. Scott was always asking her out for coffee or dinner but she knew his type and she wasn't going to be a notch on anyone's bedpost.

"Any word on your sister?"

"She detoured to the Citadel."

"Alone?"

"No with Alex," replied Scott, "whoever that might be."

"You haven't read the latest brief have you?" asked Cora.

Scott shook his head. Someone I should know?"

"She's going to be Sara's squad leader."

"She?" Scott perked up.

 _Squad leader?_ Cora glanced at the older Ryder, there had to be a really good explanation and she was going to have to wait over 600 years to hear it.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Sara woke as her omni-tool beeped she vaguely remembered setting her alarm. She could feel Alex snuggled against her. Last night had been amazing, she'd never slept with another biotic before and some of the things that Alex had done…... Sara shook her head to stop that train of thought before she needed a very long, VERY cold shower.

She was beginning to understand why people made such a big deal about having sex with asari.

"Good morning," whispered Alex, softly.

Sara rolled over so she could look at the asari, "Hi. Thanks for last night. And I don't just mean for helping me complete my bucket list….I didn't realize how much I needed that."

Alex smiled, "You're welcome." She had needed it too, "So Sara Ryder. Friends?"

"Friends," agreed Sara, "You want the first shower?" She watched as the asari slid out of bed, she bit her lip as the gorgeous blue body left the room.

Sara sighed she wanted more. She heard the water start in the tiny bathroom. She got up and collected her clothes they only had two hours until they needed to board the ship that would take them to the Hyperion and a whole new life.

TBC…

A/N. Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoy. Please review :) (I have started my next Supergirl chapter ;) and I'm playing ME for my next Endgame chapter :) ) Stay tuned. Have fun. T-Rex :)


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

HELEUS CLUSTER 634 Years later.

The Hyperion's medical VI had automatically started revival protocols as the ark had entered the system. The first to be woken were the med techs and doctors, Lexi among them, while the others woke the Captain, her bridge staff and various engineering teams it was her job to ready the Pathfinder team.

Alec had insisted on being woken first, she was still sipping her cup of tea as she passed him a mug of strong black coffee. His vitals were almost normal, much faster than anyone else, Lexi suspected that SAM had something to do with that.

"Thanks, how are my kids?"

"All readings are normal, their cryo pods are being moved to the med bay as we speak. The rest of the team as well."

Alec nodded gulping down more coffee, "Wake Cora and Alex first."

"Alex?" It made sense to get Cora on her feet next but the young asari?

"Sara will have a friendly face to wake up to." He hadn't missed his daughter's friendship with the asari. "I'm going to see Captain Dunn."

Lexi watched as he strode off then went to carry out his instructions.

Cora stretched, it literally felt like she'd had a nap Next to her T'Soni was sat with her head in her hands, Lexi had warned them that they could feel a little nauseous.

Lexi appeared carrying two cups, one coffee the other a stimulating asari brew.

"Doc, you're a lifesaver." said Cora accepting hers.

"Alex, drink this," the doctor knew it was more than just stasis sickness, nearly everyone Alex had known was hundreds of years dead. Gently she stroked the young asari's crest, "Drink, the Pathfinder wants you on your feet and I'm sure Sara will be pleased to see you." Hopefully reminding her of the mission would help her focus. Later she could find somewhere quiet to grieve.

Cora studied the two asari over the rim of her coffee cup, she was aware that they were friends but this was something else. Ryder still owed her that explanation.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Sara sat up, "We made it."

"Sara Ryder Recon Specialist Pathfinder team," said one of the med techs reading that info off his data pad.

"Can you find somewhere sunny with a tropical beach?" asked the other. They helped her up and led her to another bigger room. On the beds around her she could see some of the marines that were assigned to them, directly across from her was Liam Kosta one of the other mission specialists, they'd been introduced on the way to the cryo pods. Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to not meet and train with them before leaving.

"Hey." The voice brought her out of her musings.

"Alex!"

"I know you like my coffee." Ignoring the offered beverage Sara stood up and hugged her friend.

A moment later Lexi came over to scan her newest patient, only Scott was still to be revived then the whole Pathfinder team would be ready.

"Let's check your implants," said Lexi, "SAM are you on line?"

SAM. "Yes Dr T'Perro."

"If everything works as advertised then SAM should see what see." Lexi was the only one who knew that the Ryder twins implants were different from the rest of the team and at the last minute Alec had also instructed her to give Alex the same type because what Cerberus had done to her made her compatible.

In fact Lexi was beginning to suspect that the control chip that Cerberus had planned to use was more likely to be some sort of VI program. She was more thankful than ever that she had been rescued from that lab, otherwise Cerberus would have had a deadly weapon and the Pathfinder team would have been down an N7. The young asari had adapted quickly to SAM.

Suddenly the lights flickered and the ship shuddered, Alex landed on the floor as the gravity failed. Instinctively she kept hold of Sara, looking around she noticed Kosta spinning in a circle.

"This is Cora, I'm headed towards the med bay. Brace for a hard reset." Lt Harper floated in through the door to the console. Everyone and everything hit the floor as gravity was restored.

"Oof!" coughed Sara.

"Everyone okay?" asked Cora, helping Lexi up first.

"Shouldn't you take me to dinner first?" teased Sara as Alex carefully pushed herself up off the 22 year old human. The asari cleared her throat then held out her hand.

"We have a problem over here." Dr Carlyle was stood by a cryo pod that had slid across the med bay.

Immediately Lexi hurried over.

"It's Scott Ryder."

"No!" gasped Sara, rushing to her brother. "Is he going to be okay?" Alex followed in case her friend needed her.

"His vitals are stable," replied Lexi, "We'll put him in a low level coma so his body can recover."

"Sara, he'll be fine," said Cora.

" _Harper, Ryders and T'Soni, report to the bridge."_

Sara looked away from her brother's pod as her father's voice came over the ship's comm.

"I'll tell him," offered Lexi.

"Thanks."

"Come let's go," said Cora.

"He'd better be fine," said Sara quietly, "I can't loose him Alex."

"You heard Lexi," said Alex resting her hand against the human's back, "They know how to treat him." She really hoped Scott would pull through, she wouldn't wish the pain of losing a sibling on anyone.

Arriving at the bridge they got their first look at what they had hit.

"What is that?"

Alex stared out of the window at the black and orange energy cloud. Chasing Saren she had seen a lot but nothing like this. She tuned in to the conversation between Ryder Sn and Dunn.

"….energy cloud and that's just a guess as to what we hit."

"The protocol is clear," returned Alec, "With no communication with the Nexus we head to our appointed golden world."

"She's the Skipper, I think she has the final word," muttered Sara, not noticing Alex's reaction to the word Skipper.

"It's not about the last word," said Alec turning to look at his daughter.

"No sir."

"I have 20000 souls asleep on this ship. I need to stop the bleeding."

Alec glanced from her to the display, "If we're lucky that is New Earth down there."

The Captain sighed, "Okay."

"Harper spin up two shuttles. Planet fall in thirty."

"Yes sir."

Sara led the way to the armory. The marines were already there suiting up.

Cora was the first ready and watched as Alex checked over Sara's armor. The younger Ryder wasn't used to wearing it. T'Soni had definitely commanded troops before. When Ryder Sn had told her about the asari she hadn't expected her to be so young, her best friend Janae from Talein's Daughters, the commando unit she had served with was 200 hundred and Alex was younger. She was sure of it. As soon as they were back on the Hyperion she was going to talk to the Pathfinder and this time she wasn't going to take no or it's classified for an answer. For the team to be an effective unit she needed to know who had her back.

Alec Ryder was waiting at the shuttles, he walked over to his daughter, "Scott's strong."

"I know, we made a bet on who's boots would hit dirt first, this isn't how I wanted to win."

"Your mother would be proud of you." Alec nodded to Sara before climbing into the doorway of Shuttle 1.

"I picked each and everyone of you because you're dreamers like me. You see the edge of the map and want to find out what's beyond. Let's go and make history!"

AAAAAAAAAAAAA

The shuttle ride gave them a better view of the dark energy cloud as they flew towards the planet.

Alex half listened to Liam talking to Sara and half to Fisher and Kirkland who were piloting Shuttle 2. It was getting bumpy as they hit the atmosphere.

" _Keep it tight, Shuttle 2."_

"The mountains are floating!" Liam had a strong English accent.

"Whoa!" exclaimed Sara spotting a structure on the rocky planets surface. "That wasn't there 600 years ago."

Lightning flashed around one of the floating rocks they were passing.

SAM "I am detecting a spike in…..." The rest was lost as lighting hit the shuttle slamming Alex into the bulkhead behind her, Sara had grabbed hold of the handle by the door.

"Mayday!"

Another jolt made sparks shoot out of the control panel followed by an explosion that ripped the door off.

"LIAM!"

Alex snapped her head around to see Sara trying to reach the man who was hanging on with one hand. If she got any closer to the door she'd be pulled out. Alex didn't like that thought one bit, she stretched out her hand, blue biotic energy swirling around it but before she could pull him in the worst jolt yet made him lose his grip. Sara was sucked out too.

"NOOOO!" Alex had lost too many people already. She wasn't losing any more. She glowed blue with a biotic barrier and launched herself out of the burning hole after her friend.

TBC…

A/N. Hi guys, thanks for reading. I hope you enjoy :) To all the new follows **happy bouncing**. Please review. Have fun. T-Rex :)


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

"AAAAAAAH!"

Sara was falling. It had happened so fast she couldn't even see Liam, there were too many gigantic floating rocks around.

SAM. "You are approaching terminal velocity."

Sara tried to activate her jump-jet but the explosion must have damaged it.

"FIX IT."

Her biotics could slow her down but it wouldn't be fast enough, that was why her father had insisted on jump-jets for everyone besides constantly using your biotics for enhancing your jumps meant you'd end up running on fumes.

Suddenly a blue glow surrounded her slowing her considerably.

"ALEX?" She got no response but it gave SAM a few extra seconds to repair her jet. A moment later she saw the ground beneath her. She still landed hard and rolled down a steep slope, on the way down she heard a loud crack.

"Shit." muttered Sara, turning on her back as she raised her omni-tool activating it's emergency repair function, she sighed with relief as her helmet face-plate was sealed. Then she lay there until she got her breath back.

"SAM?…...Liam?…..Alex?" The asari had to be close by.

"Comms are down," panted Liam, hopping over a rock, "And SAM's offline."

"Have you seen Alex?"

"No, I thought she was still in the shuttle?"

Sara shook her head. Had Alex actually jumped out to save her?

"Then where is she?"

AAAAAAAAAAAAAA

At that moment Alex was making her way to higher ground so she could find Sara and Liam but also to get an idea of where the shuttle had crashed. She had briefly met Alec Ryder before going into cryo and during that conversation he had told her about his plans for training his daughter, although he hadn't asked outright she knew he was asking her to look after Sara. Alex had already seen glimpses of why Alec wanted his daughter to eventually be the Pathfinder. He didn't have to ask her that, Sara was her friend and she always protected her friends.

So far she'd only seen three types of plants, small orange things that resembled curled fern leaves, small blue glowing mushrooms that also had a larger variant that was as tall as she was. Botany had never interested her so most of the readings she got with her omni-tool went right over her head. One thing was for sure Habitat 7 was wasn't a golden world anymore.

SAM's QEC link was in the shuttle, that explained why the AI had gone silent and the constant electrical activity in the atmosphere was playing havoc with their comms.

Alex hoisted herself up onto the top of a rocky hill. Over a rocky ridge she could see a wisp of smoke, "Okay shuttle located," She turned around, "Where are you guys?" Having absolutely no way to track Sara she figured they'd head for the crash site too. Something must have happened to the other shuttle or it would have been searching for them. It was probably hit by lightning too and must've set down somewhere.

With a last look around just in case she spotted her friend, she half climbed half slid down the other side then used her jump-jet to clear a deep ravine. She still had to perfect her landings, Alex notice a small stone lift off the ground in front of her. Warily she watched it until a small bolt of lightning hit it. The stone shattered and her shields failed.

"Great, now the planet is trying to kill me!"

Quickly Alex boosted herself up and over the next rocky obstacle while her shields recharged. She really hoped Sara was okay.

AAAAAAAAAAA

"I think this is what Habitat 7 was supposed to look like," commented Sara staring at a large tree they had found in a cave.

"And the giant bug in the trap?" asked Liam.

"Maybe it's good eating?"

"You havin' a laugh?"

Sara grinned a little, "It means either someone else is here or WAS here."

"Maybe from that building we found?" asked Liam, they hadn't been able to open the large black door to the structure. Ryder thought it was a few hundred years old, which meant the mystery builders had arrived after they had left the Milky Way.

"No idea," replied Sara with a shrug, "We can't be more than a klick away from the shuttle."

"Think any of them survived?"

"I hope so."

"I'm sure your dad is okay too...you know being an N7 an all."

"Yeah." Sara was worried about the asari though, they had covered a fair bit of ground and not seen her. Dammit if she never saw her again she wished she'd told her how she felt…..

No she wasn't going to think like that, Alex would be fine.

They made good time even though they were having to dodge lightning and avoid puddles of toxic acid like liquid.

"We're nearly…..."

"Shhhhhhh" Alex appeared from nowhere and covered his mouth with her hand, "We have company." She released him and pulled him down behind cover.

Sara popped her head up to see Fisher and Greer sat against the wreckage with their hands up as two large creatures watched them, their shin looked like bone and their armor was green. Their weapons were a similar size to an assault rifle.

"What's first contact protocol again?" asked Liam.

"No firing unless fired upon," replied Sara, quietly, "Where's Kirkland?"

"I think Fisher's hurt," said Alex, "Most likely Kirkland is scouting the surrounding area."

"If there are any more of those goons, he could walk straight into them."

Liam had a point, "Okay, lets see if these guys are friendly," said Sara, standing up.

"Slow and steady," advised Alex, "Kosta target the one on the right. Only fire when I do."

Liam nodded.

"Sara, be careful and if I tell you to hit the deck...do it."

"Yes ma'am."

"Go."

Sara took a deep breath and started forward.

The young asari kept a close eye on the aliens, she could hear them talking but that in itself wasn't a hostile act. To them they could be the aggressors.

"We come in peace," said Sara, amazed that her voice didn't shake. She kept her hands up away from her weapon, she still had her biotics if they shot at her.

Alex let blue biotic energy swirl around her right hand when the aliens noticed her friend. One of them started shouting and the other turned his weapon on the two marines. She threw a warp at the one closing on Sara as Liam shot at the other effectively getting its attention. "Definitely NOT friendly!"

Sara threw her own warp at Liam's target ending the fight.

"Are you two alright?"

"I think my leg's broken," replied Fisher.

"Kirkland went to check out a structure we flew over." added Greer.

"What about the other shuttle?"

"Last I heard it was making a forced landing."

Liam picked up one of the alien rifles but couldn't get it to fire. "If this thing has a safety I don't know where it is."

Alex handed Greer her pistol, "You see any more of those things, kill them. We'll go look for Kirkland."

Sara followed suit and passed her gun to the injured Fisher.

"Don't you need those?" asked Liam, raising an eyebrow. In response Alex glowed blue and ignited two omni-blades.

"Alex had me run the Gauntlet with her just using my biotics." said Sara. That had been an experience and she'd almost passed out after, having never pushed herself like that before. But these creatures seemed to be susceptible to biotic energy.

"What about the Pathfinder?"

"Once we find Kirkland," said Alex, "Then we'll go and look for them." she didn't say it but she didn't like his odds. It had been a miracle they hadn't bumped into the aliens on the way to the crashed shuttle. They may have just started a war with the first new species they had met.

Whatever she had imagined Andromeda to be….this wasn't it.

"Come on, let's move."

TBC….

A/N. Thanks for reading :). It's nearly midnight (UK time) and I'm about to turn into a pumpkin :p but I am determined to post this before I go to bed. I hope you enjoy. Please review. Stay tuned. Have fun. T-Rex :)


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

Alex led the way to the building that the marines had indicated. It was a good starting point, as they walked Sara told her about the cave and showed her a picture of the tree.

"Don't forget the giant bug."

Alex glanced at him as the tree was replaced by the dead bug. "Gross."

"It proves something went very wrong with this planet," said Sara, shutting down her omni-tool. "It makes you wonder if whoever built the structures here had anything to do with it."

"If it's a weapon it's a very slow acting one," commented Liam.

"I'm thinking accident."

"Guys...focus," said Alex, "You can debate to your hearts content when we're back on the Hyperion."

"Sorry."

"Yes mum."

"What?"

"I mean ma'am," repeated Liam, drawing out the word.

"Please don't call me that."

"Sure thing Skipper."

"Or that!" Her sharp tone silenced them both. Instantly she felt bad, she needed to explain, make up some kind of excuse. Later, after when they were all safe. Liam most likely wouldn't bring it up unless she did but Sara was a different story, she often caught the young Ryder watching her thoughtfully.

Sara was smart, she had grown up on the Citadel around real asari. Sooner or later she was going to realize she was a phony. The whole reason for secrecy was no longer an issue but she wanted to talk to the Pathfinder first besides she really disliked not being honest. _And what exactly is Sara going to say when she finds out she didn't sleep with the person she thought she did?_ _And w_ _hy_ _does_ _that bother me?_

"Building ahead," said Liam stopping and scanning the area around the ramp leading up to the open doorway. The overhanging roof had collapsed on one side. "Can't see Kirkland or anything else either."

"It's the first building we can inside," said Sara, "We should check it out. My dad would."

The new asari nodded, "Okay." They were explores after all and she knew the Pathfinder would need all the information available on Habitat 7 they could get.

It was pitch black inside Alex snapped a flashlight to her assault rifle's barrel. She could only guess what the machines were.

"How about we call it a weird alien machine," joked Sara.

"One of these has to be a generator." Liam was walking close enough to one to make Alex nervous.

"Don't touch anything."

Liam immediately backed up.

"I've got everything," said Sara grinning at Liam. "Except that door we passed on the way in."

"Lets see if I can open that." Alex retraced her steps to the door.

"I'm getting major power readings."

Alex nodded, "Stand back."

"What are you going to do?"

Instead of answering Alex stood where the two halves of the door joined. Slowly she started glowing, one hand on each side. The glow from her hands spread along the solid surface.

"What is she doing?" whispered Liam.

"Better question is how is she doing it?" Sara sounded awestruck.

"Maybe it's an asari thing?"

Alex almost chuckled as she flared blue and slammed the door open.

Sara's lower jaw dropped open, she was a strong biotic but Alex was off the charts. All the odd things she had noticed came to mind. The woman was driving her crazy in more ways than one.

The asari slowly entered the room, part of it was buried in a rock slide. There was another door with a dead alien slumped against it.

"How'd it get in here?" asked Liam.

Alex shrugged.

"Something moved!" yelled Sara suddenly shining her light into a dark corner. What stepped into the light was bipedal, roughly six feet tall, angular limbs and a triangular ish head. Without warning a red beam shot out from where it's nose would be.

Sara's shields dropped as she raised a biotic barrier around herself.

Liam started firing and Alex hurled a warp at it, after her display opening the door that caused her to go down on one knee. Luckily the robot thing collapsed in a sparking heap.

"Kosta, scan it," said Alex taking a deep breath.

"How did you not blow your amp?" asked Sara, worried.

"I don't have one."

"Not possible! I've seen your implants…..." she began.

"I really don't have one."

"You and me," said Sara, moving her finger between the two of them, "Are going to have a serious chat."

Alex had no idea how to answer that. "It's complicated."

"It had better be," snapped Sara, she was more hurt than she cared to admit.

"Sara…."

"We need to find Kirkland and then my dad."

Liam looked from one to the other, there was definitely a story there.

Alex sighed as she headed back outside to find her shields peppered with shots. "COVER!" As she slid down behind a large crate she threw a singularity at the end of the ramp effectively stopping any of the aliens getting any closer. A loud growl made her look at her swirling ball of blue energy. There was large something floating in it.

"Is that animal bloody invisible?" Liam sounded as shocked as she felt.

"There might be more!" How the hell they were going to see them though was another story. Sara detonated the singularity with a warp, bits of the mystery creature splattered down.

"Disgusting," muttered Sara, pulling a piece of bloody brown skin.

"Varren make more mess." Alex was glad Cerberus had decided to leave her with both arms and not replicate the injury she had sustained as a teenager.

"Seriously?"

"Is it tech that make them ghosts or are they like giant chameleon dogs?" Liam had a point. Only way to find out was to scan another creature.

"Clear I think," said Sara cautiously standing up then looked back at the building they'd just exited. "I don't think these aliens are native. Maybe they're trying to figure this place out too?"

Alex was well aware that her friend wasn't talking to her, but she guessed she deserved it. She hated it.

"You think that place was a lab?"

Distant echoing gunfire from an assault rifle caught the asari's attention.

It had to be Kirkland.

Alex set off running towards the sound. No matter how fast she moved she couldn't save the missing marine. His body was in a cave.

"Dammit."

"It's not your fault," said Sara, softly.

Alex swallowed and nodded her thanks. The question was, where were the aliens who killed him?

"FLARES!" Suddenly yelled Liam from outside where he was keeping watch.

"Where?"

"That way. It has to be the other shuttle."

"They could be in trouble." Sara was already worried about her brother she didn't want to add her father to that list.

The asari agreed, "Sara, he's N7 he'll be fine. Double time it, people."

TBC….

A/N. Hi guys. Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoy. It's way past midnight but I really wanted to update this. Please review. Have fun. T-Rex :)


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

A/N Many thanks to Desert Sunrise for letting me borrow the term 'Crash and Blast'. who's Mass effect stories are AWESOME. Check them out :)

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Cora Harper was scanning the perimeter, the pilot Hayes and Dr Harry Carlyle were repairing the shuttle. She had watched in horror as lightning had hit the other shuttle. The pathfinder had immediately ordered Hayes to land, a decision that had saved all their lives. She was concerned about the rest of the team though until Alec had said that the asari, T'Soni would look after everyone.

Just before losing contact Fisher had reported that Liam and Sara had been sucked out and that the crazy asari had followed.

Lightning had struck their shuttle on the way down luckily Hayes had managed to get them down in one piece. SAM was offline though and their comms were on the fritz.

The shuttles electrical systems had shorted out.

The Pathfinder was one of the smartest individuals she had ever met and had gone off to scout out the area leaving her in charge. They'd flown over some sort of tower that he wanted to take a look at. He was also fascinated with the floating rocks that turned into tiny lightning rods.

"Any luck with the comms?"

"Yes but if we activate the systems they might blow again," answered Harry, he was actually a doctor but he had experience as a combat medic and Alec had wanted a medic on hand.

Unfortunately it was the team in the other shuttle that needed him. Most members on the team had some level of first aid training. Hopefully it would be enough.

"The radio might work with a very limited range," said Hayes, "I can pull a power pack so if it blows it won't affect the rest of the shuttle."

"Do it," ordered Cora.

The first hint of trouble was a few small stones sliding down a slope on the other side of the green acid puddle next to the vehicle.

"Guys!" Cora raised her shotgun.

Harry grabbed two Carnifex pistols from the weapon's locker and tossed one to the pilot.

Cora couldn't see anything but she knew something was out there. What if it was one of their teammates? Only one way to find out.

"Who's there?" She waited a few seconds for a response.

Silence.

"HELLO?"

Still nothing that ruled out humans, even Kosta who loved practical jokes wouldn't stay quiet under these circumstances. She didn't have to tell the others to take cover behind some of the larger rocks.

The attack started with no warning.

The aliens didn't get close enough for her to use her shotgun and until she knew more about the enemy she wasn't going to charge into the midst of them. At least they didn't seem to have shields and her pistol took them down quickly.

"Harry send up some flares." She hoped the Pathfinder saw them and came back.

"Good idea," agreed the doctor.

After that first wave Cora expected more, but it was quiet, she was sure they were still out there.

"Think they're sizing us up?" asked Harry.

"It would be the smart thing to do. Knowing your enemy was essential to victory". That sounded like something Sarissa would say.

"Maybe they called for back up," suggested Hayes.

The Vanguard knew that was very probable. "We'll be ready."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Sara was glad she'd been working on her fitness, Alex had set a fast pace. Though she had a nice view following the asari.

The only time they slowed down was when they'd stumbled across a crashed vessel, they had split up to scan as much as they could as fast as they could. Someone was going to have fun later putting it all together like jigsaw puzzle.

Suddenly Sara's radio crackled. " _Can anybody hear this transmission."_

"Cora!"

" _Sara? We're under attack."_

Alex stopped not wanting to go in the wrong direction.

"We have to be close for the comm to work at all," muttered Sara to herself." She tapped her helmet comm, "Send up another flare."

" _Roger that."_

"OVER THERE!" yelled Liam.

Alex quickly led the way up a slope and jetted over a deep ravine, hearing faint gunfire. She needed to boost up and over another ledge before she saw the shuttle through a large gap in the rock wall ahead of her. She also spotted the aliens advancing on the rest of the Pathfinder team.

The aliens had no experience of biotics because they were clumped together which was too tempting a target for Alex to pass up.

Sara almost froze as the asari charged into the group and slammed her hand down causing a biotic explosion that killed most of them. Then Alex put a bullet in those that were still twitching.

"Remind me not to piss her off," said Liam, seriously.

Sara nodded completely robbed of speech, never had she witnessed anything like that.

Alex headed to where Cora was.

"Where's my dad?" Sara already knew the answer before Cora said he'd gone to scout around.

"N7 remember," whispered Alex giving her friend's shoulder a squeeze.

Liam was telling the others about Fisher, Greer and Kirkland.

Harry was interested in the scans of the alien bodies, "There's no obvious weaknesses."

"You shoot 'em enough they still die," commented Liam, angrily.

"Stock up on ammo," said Cora, "I'm sure they re grouping. So far all the attacks have been from the same direction." She'd seen commandos use the charge and nova combo before, she'd even tried it herself but T'Soni wasn't a huntress. Still she grudgingly admitted she was impressed with the asari's combat skills.

Alex picked up a shotgun to replace the pistol she had left with the marines. She should have insisted on more weapons. "Hayes, can you boost the range on that transmitter?"

"Maybe," replied the pilot.

"We'll cover you."

Cora didn't contradict the order, it was a good idea to try to contact the older Ryder and she should have thought of it. It did make her realize she'd have to have a chat back on the Hyperion, when the Pathfinder wasn't in command she was, not the asari. Unless the squad split up.

Alex could feel Lt Harper watching her, now wasn't the time or place to explain who she was. The secrecy was starting to cause problems, she had more combat experience than most of the rest of the squad put together. She'd even bet she had more than Ryder himself. He'd been riding a desk on the Citadel as the Military Attache for years. It wasn't that she wanted to pull rank, hell Alex T'Soni didn't have any to pull. Stepping on Cora's toes was a great start.

The next wave of enemies made them all focus on staying alive. They even had a drop ship which was hit by a bolt of lightning, it slammed into the rock wall and spun out of control before crashing far enough away that they could only see smoke.

"Pity that didn't happen BEFORE it dropped them off," said Sara glowing blue, her pistol ready in her hand.

"Um there's a really big one," said Liam, "That looks like it's got a minigun."

"It has shields too," added Cora. "We need to take that out first."

"Leave that one to me," said Alex igniting both her omni-blades. While it was still lumbering towards cover she charged, the impact dropped it's shields and a scissor move with her glowing blades took off it's head.

"Sara, who the hell is she?" asked Cora, firing at the alien that young Ryder had just trapped in a singularity.

"You're asking me? I've only known her a few weeks!" She watched the asari warp another enemy then charged it, the biotic explosion took out any others that were near it. Her next target was blasted with her shotgun.

"Is she going to crash and blast all of them?" asked Harry in awe.

Sara almost chuckled, that description suited Alex perfectly. She was more confused than angry now, she couldn't fight the fact that she cared about the asari but she really didn't know anything about her. Alex made her way back to the shuttle as Liam killed the last of them.

"It's done," said Hayes. "If we could get it further from the shuttle and higher it would improve the signal even more."

"How far?" Cora glanced at pilot.

"A ridge near where that drop ship went down."

Lt Harper didn't like that prospect at all, they had no idea how many more aliens were left out there? "T'Soni how fast are you?"

"Fast enough," replied Alex.

"Wait?" exclaimed Sara, "By herself?" She stared at her father's second in disbelief.

"I'll be fine and I won't be gone long." The last thing Alex wanted to do was worry the young woman but she could see the tension in her friend.

"Really and how am I supposed to know that?"

Alex decided she had to be honest, she took a deep breath, "Because I used to be a Spectre."

TBC…

A/N. Thanks for reading. I'm chuffed to bits about all the follows. I appreciate the reviews and I'm glad you are all enjoying my new take on Alex. (Don't worry I'm working on my next Endgame chapter and my next Supergirl one too.) Hope you all have great weeks. Have fun. T-Rex :)


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

In the shocked silence that followed that revelation Alex picked up the transmitter and vanished in a blue streak.

Sara shook her head, that explained a lot. She was glad her helmet hid her blush, she had slept with a Spectre who didn't act anything like what she thought one of the Council's finest would.

"Maybe this is a dumb question," began Liam, "But why is she on our team and not the asari's? The turians have an ex spectre on theirs, right?"

"Avitus Rix," confirmed Cora, she had memorized every member of the other Pathfinder teams. She was more confused than ever about the asari's presence, why would a spectre put herself into a position to follow orders? Why on earth would she need to go to Grissom to test her biotics? An injury maybe? Damaged implant replacement? But then why Grissom and not Thessia? Far to many things didn't add up with her new teammate. The biggest issue was how did an asari who wasn't even a commando become a spectre? An even better question was how did an asari that young become one?

The radio crackled to life. _"Is this far enough?"_

"Where are you?" asked Sara.

" _By the drop-ship, can't see any survivors. If you keep talking I'll keep moving till we find the range."_

"Okay," said Cora, "You'll need to rig a lightning rod."

" _I grabbed a metal rod from the ship."_

"Great idea."

" _Still hearing me?"_

"Yes."

" _And…...about….."_

"You're starting to break up, back up a bit," said Sara.

" _Now?"_

"Right there."

" _Roger that. Placing the rod now and that should do it. I'm on my way back."_

"Cora to Pathfinder."

Sara kept her eyes on the perimeter and her ears on the Vanguard's omni-tool for a response from her father. N7 or not, Spectre or not this place was dangerous. She wasn't going to relax until they were both back.

A few minutes later Ryder Sn replied. Cora gave him a quick update on their status.

"Dad."

" _It's good to see you. There's a tower not far from your position. I think it's causing the electrical storms, with SAM's help I think we can stop the feedback loop. The shuttle is grounded until we deal with that tower. I need SAM online. Cora I need you, Sara, Alex and Liam to make your way here to me."_ His image looked away, _"Damn I need to move."_ The connection was broken.

"Hayes, we'll call you when we get to the Pathfinder," ordered Cora, "Then reactivate SAM." Hopefully the shuttle would avoid any more lightning strikes while carried out Alec's plan.

"Alex, you need to get back here." said Sara. "Alex?"

Distant gunfire was her answer.

AAAAAAAAAAAAA

Alex was on her way back when one of the big aliens had popped up from behind a still smoldering section of wreckage his weapon shredded her shields, she needed to move so she charged and then dived behind a rock. Alex coughed, her side on fire. She unclipped her shotgun with one hand as she gingerly touched her side with the other. Alex was used to her blood being red not blue. Rookie mistake not checking the area assuming it was still clear of aliens. He must have either been out cold or had wandered off and returned or woken up. More bullets or whatever the weapon fired pinged off her cover.

She had no idea how bad the wound was for her new asari body but she'd been hurt much worse as a human. She really needed to ask Lexi about the anatomical differences besides the obvious ones like blue skin, crests and no hair anywhere.

To charge him she had to know where he was and she was pretty sure peeking out might result in a hole in the head.

Alex activated her omni-tool, "Guys I'm pinned down by one of the big ones."

" _We're on our way, we heard gunfire."_

Alex didn't have to wait long for the cavalry to show up. Cora and Liam provided covering fire while Sara slid in beside her.

"You're bleeding," said the young woman worriedly.

"Hey, I'm okay," Alex caught Sara's hands, "I've been shot plenty of times."

"How can you joke about this?"

Alex knew she couldn't convince her friend so let her remove her chestplate.

"This is a through and through."

"I knew that already."

Sara looked into her eyes the asari seemed alert enough. She pulled out a tube of medi-gel, "Sorry."

Alex nodded and gritted her teeth as her friend applied it to first one hole then the other.

"All done."

"Thanks." Sara helped to snap her armor back in place. "Let's kill this thing." The others were keeping it occupied giving the asari a chance to target the alien and charge it, what was left of it's shields dropped and she blasted it in it's face. A second shot took half it's head off.

Cora led the way to the Pathfinder's location as Sara told Alex about her father's message.

They were following a rugged cliff wall when they ran across some alien bodies. Scans showed incendiary rounds were used.

"Looks like your dad's been busy," commented Liam with an impressed whistle.

"N7's don't mess around," added Cora.

Alex remained silent, she noticed some of the smooth black stone like tech sticking up out of the ground nearby. It looked like the aliens were interested in the strange tech too. So there had to be other aliens in Andromeda besides the ones that were trying to shoot them.

Sara still felt really uneasy though she had quit worrying about Alex, except for a wince every now and then and the blood on her armor you wouldn't think she'd been shot at all. Her father had told her and Scott stories about finishing the mission no matter what, but this was the first time she'd ever seen it with her own eyes.

In Sara's mind a Spectre trumped an N7 and Alex had gotten hurt so it wasn't a huge stretch of the imagination to assume her father could as well. No one else seemed worried.

"You okay?"

Sara started as she found herself looking into Alex's concerned grey eyes. The night they'd spent together she had discovered that they had little flecks of yellow in them, "You're the one with the holes in you."

"It's not the first time I've been shot and it won't be the last."

"How can you be so flippant?"

Alex looked down at the armor Sara was wearing, "Sorry it's easy to forget you're not a soldier."

"Thanks….I think," returned Sara after a moment, "Though I doubt I'll ever laugh about you getting shot." There was an intensity in her blue eyes that made Alex look away.

"It's just up here." Liam activated his jump jet to reach a higher ledge. The rest followed.

Alec was lying on his stomach observing a series of buildings connected by ramps and walkways, the tower was on the far side. The whole thing was surrounded by a barrier probably to keep the lightning at bay. He waved to them to keep low.

"Any trouble?"

From the elevated position Sara could see the tower and the swirling cloud above it, she could also see bolts of energy arching from the broken black tower to up into the atmosphere.

"Nothing we couldn't handle sir," replied Cora, ignoring the Pathfinder glancing at the asari's blood splattered armor, "Hayes is ready to activate SAM."

"Not yet."

"That tower has seriously messed up this planet," said Sara, "We found a sheltered cave with plants and a tree in it."

"And a lab," added Alex, "We think these aliens are studying this place."

Alec looked interested at those snippets of information.

"There are a lot of them down there." muttered Liam.

"So let's even the odds a little." Alec grinned as he activated a number of explosive charges he had planted while he waited for his squad to arrive.

A series of blasts took down the lightning shield and killed a few aliens.

"Let's go!" Alec jumped down and immediately opened fire.

Liam followed, Alex and Cora, the two vanguards picked targets and charged leaving Sara who took a deep breath before stepping off the ledge. She used her jump-jet to slow down and rolled as she landed. Every other fight she had ever been in she had been defending herself this was her first proper battle. She remembered the tips and tricks that Alex had taught her in the Gauntlet at Grissom, she hung back and threw out singularities that Alex and Cora charged straight into causing some spectacular biotic explosions. The aliens had no defense against the three biotics.

Ten minutes later they had reached the base of the tower.

"It's time for SAM," said Alec activating his omni-tool while Cora called Hayes.

Alex was sat catching her breath when she heard a buzz in her ear then heard the AI.

SAM "Pathfinder."

"We need to shut down this tower."

Alex stopped listening as the discussion got really technical.

"T'Soni, get over here."

Slowly Alex climbed to her feet, "Sir?" She was close enough that Alec could use his helmet mic, keeping their conversation private, "SAM thinks the Prothean cipher in your head might help."

"Ooookay," said the asari uncertainly, "What do I do?"

SAM "Please concentrate on it and relax."

"Easier said than done," muttered the asari.

SAM "I apologize if this gives you a headache."

Headache wasn't the right word it felt more like severe brain freeze by the time SAM said he had what he needed.

"I have movement!" Ryder Sn turned to look at his First who was intently staring back the way they had come.

"Hold them off, we need time. Everyone stay close."

Alex joined Sara behind a large crate. "Ready for round two?"

Sara's head snapped around, "Maybe you should rephrase that?"

"What….?" Suddenly Alex blushed.

Sara couldn't help laughing.

The asari turned and rested her assault rifle on the crate, the first alien she saw she trapped in a singularity which Sara detonated with a biotic throw.

"I didn't know vanguards could do those?"

"I'm full of surprises."

"That you are."

Alex used her weapon more than her biotics she could feel herself tiring, even with all Kahlee's tests she hadn't actually pushed herself to her limit. Now wasn't the time to burn herself out.

"I just shot that one in the face!" yelled Liam as the last few fell.

"Are we clear?" asked Cora slowly standing up.

SAM "I can detect no hostiles in the immediate area."

"Sara come help me with this door." Sara walked over to her father.

Alex pulled an energy drink out of her belt pouch while the two Ryder's disappeared inside. The tower lit up a moment later sending a pulse up into the dark clouds above it.

"Wow." Liam wasn't the only one who stared up as the clouds started dissipating showing patches of blue sky.

"It worked," agreed Cora.

"Good job," said Alec exiting the tower with Sara in tow, "Call the shuttle…..."

Sara spun round as she heard a loud boom from deep within the tower. Before she could react a cloud of air hit them and hurled her and her father off the tower into a deep ravine….

TBC…

A/N Thanks for reading :). And I'm chuffed with all the follows and favs. And reviews are always awesome :) I am going to change one aspect of SAM and that while I completely agree he can boost the pathfinders strength, speed, senses and immune system. I don't think SAM can give people Biotics who aren't. And tech abilities like incinerate or overload can come from an omni-tool. Hope you enjoy. Stay tuned. Have fun. T-Rex :)


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

"SARA!" yelled Alex as her friend was blown off the platform they were on. For the second time that day the asari dived after the younger Ryder. She charged straight out and then dropped.

"She's really going to break her freaking neck," said Liam, as he ran to edge.

"It's the fastest way down," Cora glowed blue, "Hold on to me."

The air blast had been full of dirt and debris that made visibility bad, SAM had told Alex when to use her jump-jet to slow down.

"Thanks," said Alex as she stood up, "Where is she?"

SAM "Straight ahead. You need to hurry."

If the AI was worried it had to be bad. The asari set off as quickly as she could, behind her she heard Cora and Liam land.

The first sign of them was Sara's helmet, it's visor smashed. Alex went cold inside, they all knew how toxic the atmosphere was.

"SAM!"

SAM "Twenty three meters to your left."

Alex saw her friends legs first, she dropped to her knees next to her and was shocked to see her wearing a black and red N7 helmet.

Alec's helmet.

Obviously the older Ryder had sacrificed himself for his daughter. The asari activated her omni-tool, she wasn't a combat medic but her N7 training and Abby teaching her a few things meant she realized how bad the young woman's bio-readings were.

Cora arrived breathless and scanned her too, "She's going into cardiac arrest."

"ETA on the shuttle?"

"Around four minutes."

Sara wouldn't last that long. Until that moment Alex hadn't known the Prothean beacon had implanted any medical knowledge into her brain but a sudden image in her mind made her glow blue and rest her hand in the middle of Sara's chest and put her in stasis, it wasn't the normal kind that just froze the body this froze everything it also meant that she had to hold it.

"What…?" Cora read her omni-tool in total disbelief.

"It's working," grinned Liam, maybe the asari wasn't so crazy after all. "I'm going to find Ryder."

Cora would have liked conformation, but only Harry could tell them. Instead she scanned the asari she doubted that Liam had noticed that T'Soni had started shaking with her effort to keep Sara alive. Cora decided she no longer cared why Alex was in their team she was just glad that she was or they'd lose two Ryders instead of just one.

Liam had recovered the Pathfinders body by the time they heard the shuttle.

Harry jumped out immediately and was talking to Lexi back on the Hyperion.

Cora put her hand on the asari's shoulder and felt a jolt of power. "You can release the stasis now."

Alex did as she was asked and experienced a wave of dizziness. Cora helped her into the shuttle as harry got Sara onto a stretcher then she biotically lifted Alec's body. They were not leaving anyone behind, they'd be sending another shuttle to pick up Fisher, Greer and Kirkland. Once the shuttle cabin was pressurized all their helmets were removed.

Cora split her attention between watching Harry work on Sara and Alex who was slumped against the wall her nose still bleeding. She didn't want to imagine the kind of headache the asari had. Cora pulled out a couple of energy drinks and made Alex drink them.

Hayes was really pushing the shuttle to get back to the Hyperion and more than one warning light was flashing as they landed.

Lexi was waiting and quickly scanned the young woman, as everyone had been so focused on keeping her alive none of them had realized that Alec had passed the role of Pathfinder to his daughter, SAM transferring to a healthy person would have caused no problems but Sara had breathed in a significant amount of toxins in Habitat 7's air. That combination was why she was going into shock.

"Her brain can't handle the connection We need to get her to SAM node."

Cora was stunned the Pathfinder had skipped over her? Maybe it was the only way to save Sara? She could understand him doing everything to save his daughter. With a sigh she turned to help T'Soni to the med-bay.

By the time Lexi returned to check on the rest of the ground team a med-tech had cleaned and treated Alex's wounds properly. Fisher and Greer were also back on board.

As Liam had followed Sara Cora had opted to stay with the asari.

Captain Dunn had ordered the Hyperion to fly to the Nexus. Habitat 7 was a bust.

Lexi gave Alex a once over, "I'm going to release you, you need to rest and by that I mean sleep."

Alex nodded, "How is she?"

"She'll be fine," replied Lexi softly, "You saved her life." Alex shrugged. The doctor shook her head knowing from the Alex of old that she never accepted compliments for keeping her squad alive because that was her job. "Though I would like to know how you did."

"I'll explain later doc, I'm about ready to drop. Can I see her?"

"After you get some sleep, don't worry Liam is with her."

"Okay. Where am I going?"

"The pathfinder's quarters are next to SAM node," said Cora slowly, "I guess they're Sara's now, I'm sure she wouldn't mind you crashing there."

Lexi nodded to the human vanguard and helped Alex stand the fact that she staggered slightly told her how exhausted she was.

"Cora, no one wakes her for at least eight hours for any reason," said Lexi. Cora nodded and rested her hand in the center of the asari's back as she guided her remembering that she had never stepped foot on the Hyperion until she went into cryo.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Sara sat up slowly wondering where on Earth she was. It certainly wasn't the med-bay.

"Hey, you're awake." said Liam then repeated it into his omni-tool. A moment later Lexi and Cora entered the room.

By then Sara had figured out where she was, "Why am I in SAM node?"

"What's the last thing you remember?" asked Lexi scanning her.

Sara frowned then sat up, "Where's my dad?" Cora was looking at her feet as she spoke.

"It was your life or his…...he chose you."

Sara rested her head in her hands."He also made you the new Pathfinder."

"WHAT!" Sara snapped her head up and stared in shock at Cora, "Shouldn't that be you?"

"It's done," said Lexi quietly, "SAM is apart of you now in a way we can't fully understand. Trying to separate you could kill you."

"The Captain says we're almost at the Nexus," said Cora, "And we need our Pathfinder."

Sara watched as they left leaving Lexi, "Where's Alex? Is she okay?"

"She'll be fine, she's resting in your quarters."

"I don't have quarters?"

"You have your fathers." Lexi patted her shoulder sympathetically.

"Oh."

"It's just out the door and turn left. I'll have someone move your belongings there."

Numbly Sara nodded, "You might as well send Alex's too."

Lexi nodded as she raised a curious eyebrow.

"You said she's sleeping and she needs to shower and change before we get to the Nexus, right?"

As soon as the doctor left Sara exhaled loudly, "SAM, why did he do it?"

[SAM. This is our private channel I shared with Alec. He never did anything without a reason.]

"He never mentioned this."

[SAM. There are things you must know about my true capabilities.]

"I already know you helped mom when she was ill."

[SAM. Alec has put blocks on part of my memory.]

"Why?"

[SAM. Unknown. Your father will have most likely programmed in triggers though I do not know what they are.]

"And dad strikes again," sighed Sara, "Am I okay to move?"

SAM. "Yes. Dr T'Perro is having food sent to the Pathfinder's quarters." Sara stood slowly she ached all over, her dad's room was literally next door. She paused in the doorway, she'd never been in here. The bookshelves were full of books from their home back on Earth. The desk was next to the small bathroom. In the large bed was a softly snoring asari who still looked a little pale.

"SAM what happened after that cloud from the tower hit us?" Sara's lower jaw dropped open as the AI answered her question.

"I didn't even know that was possible." whispered the new pathfinder leaning over and kissing the asari's cheek. It seemed that Alex had become her guardian angel.

SAM "Dr T'Perro would prefer if you did not wake her."

"I won't," replied Sara, pulling away and laying down next to her friend, "SAM wake me an hour before we dock with the Nexus."

SAM "Yes Pathfinder."

Sara sighed as she got comfortable, she wasn't sure she'd ever get used to being called that. At least she had her father's First and an ex-spectre to help her. Maybe she'd finally find out who Alex really was. Sara closed her eyes and quickly drifted off to sleep.

TBC…..

A/N. Thanks for reading. Yaaaaaay I've got over 50 follows :) I'm glad you're all enjoying this story :) While I am changing a few things I will keep others so if there's anything particular you want me to include….tell me and I'll try my best to add it in. Have a nice week. Have fun. T-Rex :)


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

Sara woke to a soft beeping and rolled into a warm body as she moved. For a moment she had forgotten where she was and that she wasn't alone in the bed. Alex was blinking sleepily then focused on her.

"SARA!" Alex sat up and wrapped her in a bear hug, "You're okay."

"I am thanks to you," said Sara hugging the asari back.

"I didn't know it would work," admitted Alex, resting her forehead on the young woman's shoulder as she remembered how afraid she was that Sara would die. The asari shuddered then pulled back, "I'm sorry about your dad."

"We… weren't close," said Sara quietly.

"He was still your dad. When mine died it tore me up inside….my mom and a...good friend helped me through it."

"What species was your father?"

The moment of truth had arrived. "SAM what were Alec's plans for telling the rest of the team about me?" Sara frowned at the asari's use of her dads first name. No one called him that.

SAM. "He was going to tell Lt Harper and he assumed that your friendship with Sara would result in you confiding in her."

Alex huffed out an irritated breath at that she could have told her friend the truth, "Then why did he tell me not to reveal my age?"

SAM. "Explanations would be difficult."

"That's just great," muttered Alex more to herself than her companion, Sara's opinion mattered, now was her chance to correct her mistakes and tell her the truth.

SAM. "Cora is asking to meet her on the bridge."

Sara sighed and she stood up, "We're coming up on the Nexus, want to come up to the bridge? I've only seen pictures of what it looks like."

"Yeah I guess it'll be like seeing a Mass Relay up close for the first time." Alex got out of bed and saw her footlocker, "As soon as we're docked and everything is sorted, we'll talk."

"I have access to my dad's files I could just read it for myself," said Sara as she hurriedly dressed.

"You could, but wouldn't you rather hear it from me?"

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Cora was almost tapping her foot as she waited for the new Pathfinder. She didn't expect Sara to show up with the asari in tow.

T'Soni had not slept as long as the doctor had ordered though Alex did look much better. "Glad you could join us. If Lexi asks you had more than eight hours."

Alex chuckled, "Will do."

"Good," Cora gave the asari a brief smile as she activated the door control. "I don't want Lexi on my ass."

"It's my fault," stated Sara, "I asked SAM to wake me and the alarm woke us both."

"It's fine I wouldn't want to miss this." grinned Alex heading towards Capt Dunn who was staring out of the forward viewing screen.

The Nexus was massive, it's structure mostly dark it's arms still a framework.

"It should have been finished by now," said Cora quietly.

"I detect damage," said the pilot, "I think they hit the same thing we did."

"I don't see any other Arks," said Sara swallowing nervously.

"Take us in," ordered Dunn, gripping the railing in front of her, "We're landing." They had no place else to go.

"Power readings?"

"It's localized."

"Looks like they're conserving power," commented Dunn. "The Hyperion can help with that. Pathfinder go to the air lock, we'll dock in ten minutes."

Sara nodded after a quick glance at Cora. "Come on guys, let's find out why there's no welcome mat."

"Or champagne, "added Liam joining them. "After the day we've had I bet we all need a drink."

Alex heard Sara sigh under her breath and acting without thought took hold of her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. The new Pathfinder was thankful for the ex Spectre's strength.

Things were even weirder when the exited the Nexus's air lock into pitch blackness. The only visible light was from a Avina VI hologram.

Cora headed to the VI, it had obviously been programmed before they left the Milky Way as the only correct info was the date.

Suddenly Alex flared blue as she heard a noise, "There's someone else here."

"I didn't hear anything," Liam raised his arm and activated his omni-tool, "I'm reading one life sign about two hundred meters straight ahead."

Now that they were aware that they were not alone Sara realized she could hear someone.

[SAM. I have enhanced your hearing.] Sara had almost forgotten about the AI's private channel and jumped.

"And Alex?" The asari looked over with a confused eyebrow.

[SAM. Her hearing was already enhanced."

That was another thing the asari was going to have to explain. Sara led the way and almost gave the tech guy who was working on a power relay a heart attack. He immediately started telling them everyone thought the Arks lost. The Nexus had been there fourteen months already. Everyone knew that the techie was leaving a lot out.

"Take us to your leader," said Sara ignoring the snort of laughter from Liam, even Alex grinned. "Grow up guys."

"Says the youngest person here," chuckled Liam until he heard Alex grow softly under her breath at him. Luckily no one except the team heard that last exchange.

Lights began turning on and a turian came to meet them. "Tiran Kandros. You're the first Ark to arrive. We'd given up and powered this section down. Follow me."

Activity started to erupt around them as their guide explained that they had hit the energy cloud that they had called the Scourge. How supply rationing had led to an uprising, the ones responsible, including the old security chief and any who chose to leave were now called Exiles.

"Where did they go?"

"A planet called Kadara it was one of the golden worlds," said Kandros, "But it's water is like acid and needs to be filtered, most of the krogan landed on Elaaden. It's basically a desert planet.

"Wait. The krogan left?" Alex didn't like the idea of hostile krogan, they packed hell of a punch.

"They spouted some nonsense about a deal of getting more say if they helped put the uprising down."

"Krogan don't usually lie," pointed out Alex.

Kandros twitched his mandibles, "We never found any documentation to prove their claim."

Alex was glad he'd not simply disregarded the krogan like so many were prone to do. The turian had a good head on his shoulders, "What's your job?"

"I run the militia, most are ex military. We've taken over station defense as most of Sloane's people followed her."

Which meant a number of the exiles had combat training and or experience.

"Had any trouble with them?" asked Cora slipping into Huntress mode.

"Not since they left. The first thing we did after being stranded was get the exterior weapons operational. It would be suicide to try to take this place with a few shuttles."

More conversation was stopped as they reached the Docking Bay tram line that connected to the various areas of the station.

The control hub was where the pathfinder team found themselves a little while later where they met Director Tann who was a Salarian, he had inherited the position when Jien Garsen and the senior staff had died in the scourge disaster. Superintendent Kesh, a female krogan who was in charge of the Engineering teams. Kandros they already knew and lastly Foster Addison the colonial affairs director or would be when they had colonies.

Alex really didn't like the tone Addison took with Sara. Almost the first thing she did was insult Alec and doubt that Sara would make a good replacement, Kesh on the other hand was one of the good guys for defending her and was prepared to give her a chance.

Cora silently observed the conversation, no matter what she personally thought she would support the young Ryder, she wondered if T'Soni realized how protective she was over the new Pathfinder. They all watched as the krogan linked the Hyperion's power to the Nexus. A whole section lit up.

"You need a ship," said Tann, "I'll make arrangements with your Second." As he and Cora left Addison told them about the failed attempts to settle Eos.

"What happened?"

"Some were lost to Radiation others to the Kett."

"Kett?" asked Alex, "Do they look anything like this?" She showed one of the scans they took on Habitat 7.

"That's them," confirmed the turian, "They attack without provocation and are interested in the strange tech scattered throughout this cluster."

"Let's go find Cora," said Sara, her confidence had taken a knock but she was trying to hide it.

As soon as they were out of view Alex gave her a brief hug.

"I've got your back."

Sara leaned back far enough to look into the asari's eyes, "And who exactly has my back?" Her blue eyes held a hint of challenge.

Alex glanced around, it was too public especially if Sara yelled at her which she probably deserved. "It's a couple of hours to this planet we're heading to. I'll tell you anything you want to know," vowed Alex.

"You promise?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die." Alex made a tiny cross over her heart with her finger.

"How do you know that?" Not knowing was driving her nuts.

Alex grinned a little. It actually proved a point that Councilor Tevos had made when she had asked why she was going on the Human Ark. Her reply was that if Alex were put in a roomful of humans most would think she WAS asari while if she were put in the same room full of asari they would quickly know that something was amiss. It didn't matter how many lessons Alex had, her mind was still human. "Let's go find your ship, Pathfinder."

TBC….

A/N. Hi guys. Thanks for reading :) The follows and favs are great :D I appreciate the reviews :) I hope you like this chapter. Hope you are all having nice weekends. Stay tuned. Have fun. T-Rex :)


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

On the way to the main docking area the Pathfinder team got a lot of stares on their way to the Tempest which was the only Pathfinder scout ship to survive the Scourge disaster.

Sara was really uncomfortable with all the looks she was getting, it was only Alex's hand resting in the middle of her back kept her moving forward. The area around them was open like the Citadel allowing them to see a sleek ship fly by.

Alex gasped, it's design was similar to the Normandy but it was smaller. She wasn't prepared for the flood of emotions that threatened to swamp her. Alex exhaled loudly, she'd been avoiding how she felt, she'd only cried twice since waking up in the Cerberus lab, Lexi had offered her shoulder more than once.

Dammit she missed Ash.

Sara glanced over and remembered the asari's reaction to the model ship. "You going to be okay?"

Alex jumped slightly taking her eyes off the Tempest, the others were watching the ship touch down on the landing pad.

Alex nodded not trusting her voice. That was something else she was going to have to explain. Though Sara did know she was married because she often answered questions from the Grissom students while she was teaching there. She'd used their relationship as an example that being in the military didn't mean you couldn't fall in love. As soon as Sara found out who she used to be she would also know about her wife….ex wife.

"Come on! Let's check out our ship!" Liam was like a kid in a candy store, completely oblivious to the Pathfinder and the asari, Cora on the other hand wasn't. With the older Ryder dead she wasn't going to get the explanation, she'd have to ask the asari personally.

Alex followed slowly behind as they approached the loading ramp. A tall female turian was carrying a box toward a growing pile of boxes.

Sara stopped dead. "Vetra Nyx?"

"Sara Ryder."

"You knew who I was?"

Vetra smirked, "I always know who I'm dealing with." She rested her hand on the young woman's shoulder, "I am sorry about your father."

"Yeah, thanks," sighed Sara, shifting her attention to her ship. It was a hell of a lot bigger than her old shuttle. How on Earth was she to captain a ship with a crew, she was 22 years old. "How many crew?"

"Pilot, science officer, doctor, engineer and me." replied Vetra, "Plus you and your squad."

"You're coming?" asked Sara.

"I am. You need anything I know how to get it."

"Good to know."

Alex had been silently observing, Sara had told her about going solo after Alec left the military, that must have been when they met.

"Let's do this," said Sara squaring her shoulders and walking up the ramp.

"T'Soni," Alex turned to Cora who had spoken, "She's going to need our help." Alex nodded.

"Think an ex spectre and an ex huntress can keep our Pathfinder safe?" Cora held out her hand in a traditional asari handshake. Alex accepted it.

"We're not losing another Ryder," vowed Alex.

"Agreed." With that they followed the rest into the ship.

In the cargo hold was a vehicle that was smaller than a Mako, a second glance told the asari it didn't have any weapons but it looked fast. She'd have to ask about it's shields. She suddenly chuckled her driving was a little too wild for most people.

"That's the Nomad," explained Vetra, "It can seat 4."

"That means a small squad," said Alex, "Is it possible to have anyone sat on top?"

"Yes if the air is breathable. The Tempest can land on planet too."

"What are you thinking?" asked Sara, she'd seen the same expression on her friends face in the Gauntlet as she was figuring out the best attack strategy.

"We already have 5 ground team here," said Alex slowly, "We don't have a shuttle so we don't need a second pilot, we have enough to handle ground missions so we don't need any of the marines your dad assigned to the team. We need more specialists."

Sara nodded thoughtfully. She had learned to trust the asari's instincts even though this sounded more like she was talking from experience. Didn't Spectre's tend to work alone? She was looking forward to hearing the explanation.

"Gil Brodie is our chief engineer, Suvi Anwar is the science officer and co-pilot, Kallo Jath is our salarian pilot. Of course you already know Dr T'Perro." continued Vetra as she led the way to the bridge.

Both Suvi and Kallo stood up to greet the new Pathfinder they were both friendly and excited to finally be doing what they came to Andromeda to do.

"The nav-system is linked to your implant," said Kallo, "All you have to do is pick a destination."

"We're heading to Eos," said Sara, "Are we ready to go?"

"Most of our supplies were loaded right after your Hyperion docked," stated the turian, "The last few things were brought on board while you had your mini tour."

"Okay then so….let's go."

"Wooohooooo!" yelled Liam as Kallo began pushing buttons and the Tempest lifted off. Sara stood on the bridge until they cleared the Nexus.

Vetra had also stayed and showed her to the Pathfinder's quarters which were below the bridge.

"I didn't expect them to be so big," admitted Sara, "It doesn't seem very fair on the rest of the crew, I can't do this by myself."

"No but everyone is expecting a lot from you, I guess it was someones idea to make things better for you."

Sara grunted, she knew a certain asari who would make things better, "Where did Alex go?"

"The asari?"

"Yeah."

"She said something about saying 'Hi' to the doc."

Although Sara wanted to find out Alex's true identity but she also knew that seeing the Tempest had upset the asari so she would wait.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Alex had slipped away just after take-off to talk to Lexi, as they'd used the small cargo lift to get to the higher level they had passed a bio lab, a tech lab so the med bay had to down a level and the fastest way was the ladder right outside the door to the bridge. On either side of the corridor was the kitchen and crew quarters, bathroom and finally the med bay. One thing she realised very quickly was the only totally private area on the ship was Sara's quarters.

Lexi looked up from from her datapad, "SAM tells me we're going to Eos"

"Yeah, they tried to start a colony there," replied Alex, "Apparently that strange tech is scattered all throughout the cluster so if there are more of those Tower things maybe they can help make the planets more habitable."

"The main problem with Eos is radiation," stated Lexi, "The settlement has shielding but outside you'll have to limit your exposure and stay in the Nomad." The doctor studied her friend, Alex had never done well in a doctor patient setting, she was far more comfortable talking to trusted friends. Riley had been such a friend, she sighed. Everyone in the Initiative had gone into cryo knowing that most of the folks left behind would be dead when they woke up. Therapy sessions which had quickly been called 'Death Talks' had been given, not that even those really prepared you. Alex had had no chance to grieve. Lexi decided to give her friend something else to think about and find out what her state of mind was.

"How did you save Sara?"

"Crazy idea I think came from the Prothean nanites in my head."

SAM. "The nanites are actually situated all throughout your body."

"I'm not sure how to explain it."

"You could show me."

Alex looked up, "You know I have no barriers right?"

Lexi nodded, "If you concentrate on it I can guide you"

"You're still going to get hit with a lot of stuff."

Lexi did know that, "I'll be quick. If other asari can do what you did, it could save lives."

Slowly Alex nodded and reached out to take the doc's hand, she still needed physical contact to initiate a meld.

Lexi immediately knew how heart broken the young asari was and how desperately she needed an outlet, Alex really didn't have any barriers at all and Lexi gently steered the turmoil in her friends mind to the event on Habitat 7. With the young asari's memories focused on Sara she witnessed flashes of their time together at Grissom and on the Citadel, she knew there was a shift between the two but she hadn't realised that they'd slept together for mutual comfort. In fact Lexi was positive that Alex didn't even realise how much she was starting to care about the new Pathfinder. Though for any relationship to work Alex needed time to heal first. Finally she experienced the biotic stasis field that Alex had used to keep Sara alive until Harry had arrived. They had still come far too close to losing her.

Lexi gently ended the meld, "You did great Alex." The younger asari rested her head in her hands. "I know you're not ready to talk yet when you are, you know where I am."

"Thanks Lexi. So will it work?"

"I think so you only used your normal biotics."

I don't know if I can use the hybrid Prothean biotics," said Alex, sitting up, "Even Cerberus didn't."

"How did you trigger them before?"

"Usually someone I cared about was in serious trouble,"

Lexi nodded, the Pathfinder's job was dangerous, combine that with how Alex felt about Sara they'd find out sooner or later. Eventually Alex would make friends with the rest of the crew as well. "Meld's can be exhausting. You should rest till we land."

It seemed like a good idea so Alex nodded.

"You may as well use one of these beds, I can guarantee no one will disturb you."

Alex hugged Lexi before hopping onto the nearest bed, "Wake me when we get close."

"I will," Lexi turned back to her datapad. Hopefully Eos wouldn't be a repeat of habitat 7. This time the whole team would return and the alien tech really did help to terraform the planet.

TBC…

A/N Hi guys. Thanks for reading. The follows and favs are great. I appreciate the reviews. Alex will reveal her secret soon :p Have a great week :) Have fun T-Rex :)


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

Sara sat in her quarters reading through the data they had on Eos which wasn't very much. Every now and then she'd look around wondering what her father would have thought of this? She still didn't understand why he had made her the new Pathfinder and until SAM's memory arrays unlocked she wouldn't get any answers.

She shook her head and focused on the screen in front of her the planet was hot, the pictures had a lot of sand in them. They were going to land at Site 1 the bigger of the two settlements. They'd lost some folks to radiation but it had been a kett attack that had forced them to abandon it.

Sara was starting to hate the kett. How many innocent people had died. If the kett were near the alien tech they needed to fix the planet that could be a problem. Until the Kett on Habitat 7 Sara's combat experience consisted of fighting off a few pirate gangs and the odd batarian slaver ship, she knew she could defend herself but how long would it be before they had a major battle against them? What if it became a war? Sara took a deep breath and hoped that Alex and Cora would know what to do because she sure as hell didn't. She concentrated on their destination again.

The radiation meant the ground team had to use the Nomad, their armour would provide limited protection. At least the specs said so. Of all the people on the tempest Alex would be able to tell her.

"SAM where is Alex?"

SAM. "With Dr T'Perro."

"Can you ask her about the armour specs please."

"SAM. "I will."

Sara switched to her squad's files, she knew about Cora because her brother couldn't shut up about her, though if he wanted to catch her attention he was going about it all wrong. Thinking about Scott hurt she was really worried about him. Liam was an ex cop that had transferred to crisis response which was a fancy name for a rescue unit. Vetra had been a smuggler but was using her skills for the Initiative. She had brought her younger sister with her. She stopped short of reading the asari's. It was then she realised that SAM hadn't replied.

Before she could repeat her request her door chimed.

"Um...enter?"

She was surprised to see Alex walk in, "Hey." She had expected a message.

"SAM said you wanted to make sure we don't glow in the dark."

Sara snorted a laugh.

"And I owe you that explanation," continued Alex rubbing the back of her neck, not sure where to begin.

Sara moved to the small sofa, "Sit, you're making the place look untidy."

"This might not make sense at first. Ever heard of Cerberus?" asked Alex sitting down.

"Human terrorist organization that hates aliens."

"How much do you know about Commander Shepard?"

Sara already looked confused, "First human Spectre I actually met her when I was at Grissom."

"Yes she was on medical leave," said Alex deciding it was easy to refer to her human self as Commander Shepard. "She'd just fried most of her implants."

Sara had heard rumors, she knew the then N7 wasn't using her biotics anymore. "Yeah I knew that just didn't know why."

"How much do you know about Prothean beacons?"

"There are beacons scattered all over but very few are intact. They store information and use some kind of telepathic link. Most people who've interacted with them go mad within weeks, their brains can't handle it." Sara couldn't for the life of her figure out what connected the different questions she was being asked.

"And what about the nanites in the beacons?"

"What?"

Alex had known that part was classified and even Liara hadn't known about those.

"The beacon on Eden Prime injected the Commander with nanites which helped her to partly understand the message from the beacon." Alex glanced over at the stunned younger woman, "Those same nanites also repaired her biotics by fusing her implants and nervous system together."

Sara felt her lower jaw hit the floor.

"How much do you know about the Commander's biotics before you met her?"

"She was really strong, I think I remember she had hybrid human asari implants?"

"She was also a biotic anomaly." continued Alex, "Originally she trained as a vanguard but she could pretty much do everything to a degree. If her family or friends were in danger she had this ability to kick her biotics up a level, it would always wipe her out afterward. The nanites had an unexpected side affect. If she needed to use that extra level her biotics went green. In the vision from the beacon the Prothean's biotics were green."

"You are shitting me!" exclaimed the new Pathfinder.

"Nope. Cerberus wanted to see if they could replicate the hybrid biotics." Alex took a deep breath, so far it had been easy now it got hard. "You know the Commander's alive, right?" Sara nodded. "She really did die though."

"How is that possible?" interrupted the young woman, her mind was reeling at what she was hearing. How the hell did the asari know all this?

Alex decided to leave the Reapers out of it for now. If the Commander had found a way to defeat them then they could all live happily ever after and if they hadn't everyone then everyone would be dead and right now at this moment only the non space faring races would still be alive. Hell maybe a Pyjack would be the Saviour of the next Cycle.

"You know that colonies were disappearing?"

Sara nodded.

"Well Cerberus decided that they needed Commander Shepard to stop whoever is...was responsible. So they retrieved her body and rebuilt her and a new Normandy."

Sara felt like her brain was going to implode.

"The nanites have memory and personality imprints in them so even if Cerberus got any ideas. As a side experiment they wanted to see if the nanites could enhance human biotics. So they decided to test them on a young asari teenager."

Sara began to feel sick as her brain began clicking things in place. "That was you?"

"Not exactly," replied Alex slowly, "Trying to duplicate Shepard's implants and the damage to them….killed her. She was brain dead when they introduced the nanites which did repair the implants just like they wanted. The Cerberus scientists just never expected the nanites to transfer their info into the asari's mind."

Sara slumped back as she stared at the asari, "If she died then that would make you…."

"Alex Shepard, or at least I used to be." Worriedly she watched her friends reaction.

So many conflicting emotions hit Sara all at once shock was the strongest. "Was there a reason you didn't tell me?"

"Everyone figured it would be safer in case Cerberus found out and tried to either capture me again or terminate me."

That made sense but….she recalled what SAM had said about Alex choosing to tell her or not. She hadn't, did that mean she thought she couldn't trust her?

Alex sat silently watching a myriad of expressions flicker across her friends face. She seriously expected to be yelled at. Keeping the truth from her had to hurt.

"Why didn't you tell me before we….." Sara stood up and started pacing. "You think I couldn't keep a secret for a few hours?" She was beginning to get angry.

"Of course not…..."

"Don't you think I would have liked to know WHO I was sleeping with?" snapped the younger woman.

Alex hung her head in shame, dammit why hadn't Alec Ryder told her she could tell his daughter?

"It's a good thing we said no stings," said Sara sarcastically, her voice hitched as she felt her eyes fill with tears, "Get out."

"Sara I'm….."

"GET….OUT!"

"Sorry," muttered Alex, leaving.

As soon as the door closed Sara threw herself on her bed and cried.

TBC….

A/N. Hi guys. Thanks for reading :) .The favs and follows are great :) Reviews are better :p

It's come to my attention that some folks don't know who Alex is….or was. Shepard's Saga is ME1, Shep's Saga: second chances id ME2 and I'm in the middle of ME3 (Shep's Saga: Endgame) (I also have a tie in for later in the story where it'll go WAY off canon :p) If you're curious. Have fun. T-Rex :)


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

Alex couldn't remember the last time she had felt this bad, why hadn't she just been honest? Especially before they'd spent the night together. She wandered past the bio-lab and up the ramp to the highest level of the ship, there were virtual windows all around. In the center was a round table that was designed for crew meetings and vid calls in relative privacy. There were also two leather sofas up there the asari slumped down on the nearest.

Keeping the truth to herself for a while would have made sense until she got to know Sara better. Maybe they wouldn't have had sex but Alex might have had someone she could talk to. She wasn't the best at expressing how she felt and she'd gotten so used to Ash always knowing what was going on with her and vice versa that she was out of practice reading other people. Now that she was focusing she realised just how much stuff the new Pathfinder was having to deal with.

Alex had promised to tell her who she really was but maybe she could have put it off till after the mission to Eos?

Probably not.

Alex sighed and found herself thinking about Torfan and how Abby Williams her sister in law had struggled to cope with shooting wounded batarians afterwards. Eventually Cassidy, Abby's girlfriend had convinced her to talk to her and after a lot of tears and talking they had managed to get past it.

Actually that was the closest comparison she had to the churning emotions she could feel right now. She didn't want to lose Sara who was becoming a good friend.

The only thing she could do was let Sara have some time to cool off then try to apologize, hell she'd even beg.

Her omni-tool beeped, Alex raised her arm and read the short message from SAM, Sara had sent her files to Cora. That decision she agreed with you have to know your team's strengths and weaknesses to use them effectively.

Sara had been good in her Tactics class but the real thing was very different even if she had a problem with Alex she would likely listen to Lt Harper. And Alex silently swore to herself that she would keep her favorite human safe.

AAAAAAAAAA

Sara sat up and wiped her eyes then stared at her feet, she had acted like a total asshole. Yes she was hurt and felt betrayed BUT there had been valid reasons and she should have known her dad wouldn't have explained the situation properly and now he was dead. She was terrified she'd lose Scott too and Alex had simply been the straw that broke the camels back. It didn't help that she was falling for the young asari.

She asked SAM to send Cora the files her father had planned to give her and to summarize Alex's rescue from Cerberus and found out that it had been barely a week before they met at Grissom.

Sara dropped her head into her hands, the asari had lost everything, her wife, her family, her entire life and Alex had been doing everything she could to help the younger woman.

"What the fuck have I done?"

AAAAAAAAAAAA

The Tempest landed inside Site 1's perimeter and Alex wondered who was the better pilot Kallo or Joker? Eos's air was perfectly breathable and all of the ground team left their helmets on the ship. They all had shield generators and Suvi had only picked up a single life-sign that belonged to a Nexus engineer who was on a scavenging mission. He had totally panicked when the Tempest had landed and locked himself in the power control room saying that the kett were bound to come and investigate.

While the ground team checked out the buildings and downloaded any data they could find Gil drove the Nomad out of the ship ready for their journey to Site 2.

The team split into two, Cora, Liam and Vetra going one way while Alex and Sara went the other. There was an awkward and uneasy silence between them. If they didn't need a biotic in each team….

But Sara didn't know what to say to Cora either and five was an odd number so two biotics in one mini squad would work. They found a few data logs with records of their attempts to grow crops and losing people to the radiation. They quickly realised they needed the power back on to open a lot of the doors to the prefab buildings. Vetra sweet talked the guy into flipping the switch allowing them to do a thorough search. The most interesting thing they found before the kett did indeed arrive was files about some alien tech close to Site 2 that was emitting a strange signal.

The kett came in two small drop ships and landed at opposite sides of the settlement. It was the first time the kett had used proper tactics.

The team hunkered down and waited for them to come into range. Alex and Sara were able to channel the kett into their kill zone with well placed singularities. Their combined biotics accounted for half of the kett, Alex had passed her assault rifle to the Pathfinder when she switched to her sniper rifle. They quickly killed the rest. At least they could work together.

"Let's go to the other Site," said Sara handing the weapon back to it's owner with a nod of thanks, "Cora the Tempest is yours. If the kett come back, take off okay."

"Roger that." The Lt headed up the ramp as the rest climbed into the Nomad.

The Pathfinder's SAM implant helped her to know which switches to flip and what buttons to press. SAM had also loaded the nav point into the on board computer. Vehicles had traveled between the two sites and the faint wheel tracks could still be seen.

The trip took about ten minutes. They had passed some of the animals that could cloak though they looked different from the ones that the kett seemed to control and big giant insects, unfortunately they were going too fast to get accurate scans. Though Suvi informed them they were most likely in the wildlife database started by the settlers before they evacuated.

Site 2 was smaller and situated at the bottom of a steep slope.

The first thing that Alex noticed was a dead turian laying in the sand. "Why didn't they come back for these people?"

"Too dangerous," replied Vetra. "Looks like he went down fighting."

"He might have helped give other time to get out," added Liam.

"We'll mark the location and send someone," vowed Sara quietly.

It was Alex's turn to nod her thanks. As Sara and Vetra went into the building Alex cocked her head to one side sure she had heard something. Inside Liam opened an inner door to find a second door further in barricaded with every bit of movable furniture in the room.

"What were they trying to keep out?" So far they hadn't seen anything that a normal door wouldn't keep out.

"I think they were trying to keep something IN!" said Sara seeing something huge move through the gaps in the makeshift wall.

"Spirits! That's a Fiend!"

"And what exactly is one of those?" asked Sara as they quickly exited the prefab.

"Think big and nasty."

"How big?" asked Alex, she had been listening.

"Four or five times as big as a krogan."

"Shit!" muttered Liam.

"Any weaknesses?"

"Fire works," replied Vetra, "I have no idea about biotics."

"Guys, there are kett crashing the party," said Liam pointing to a single drop ship headed their way.

Sara looked undecided for a moment then took a deep breath, "Vetra, Liam the kett are yours. We'll keep the big critter away from you."

A loud crash was heard behind them telling the two biotics where the fiend was.

"Ready?"

"Let's do this."

TBC….

A/N. Hi guys. Yep another chapter :) So since there's been 3 very quick updates. I may update a different story on Saturday. Thanks for the new favs and follows (and reviews) I'm chuffed to bits that so many people like the idea behind this story. Hope you enjoy. Have fun. T-Rex :)


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

Lt Cora Harper stood on the Tempest's bridge between Suvi and Kallo listening to the ground team's chatter.

She let her mind drift to the file SAM had sent to her just before they reached Eos, She had read it twice and asked SAM to summarize it. It certainly explained the odd behavior she had noticed and Alec Ryder's confidence in Alex's ability to keep Sara safe.

Cora was already with the asari commando unit when the Geth had attacked Eden Prime. So except for hearing about that and Commander Shepard, the Butcher of Torfan being made the first human Spectre and until the Battle of the Citadel some of her teammates hadn't been impressed with humanity's choice at first until they heard that the new Spectre had saved the Destiny Ascension, sacrificing a number of Alliance ships.

SAM's files gave her the opportunity to learn about the person behind the uniform. Alex hadn't had it easy, she had lost her arm to a varren attack when she was a teenager and she was one of the few survivors of the batarian slaver raid on Mindoir. She'd enlisted at eighteen and been transferred to officer training. Lt Shepard had been assigned to a Rapid Response Unit under N7 Captain Lee Riley who had been the one to rescue her from that Cerberus lab. She had been transferred again and served with her girlfriend's younger sister. Her unit had been one of the first to Elysium and helped locals defend a hospital until the Alliance could send enough ships and troops to chase the slavers off. Captain Shepard was part of the Force that went after the slavers at Torfan. Being able to read the actual battle report gave her a completely new perspective. For striking a superior officer she had been bumped back down to Lieutenant. She had been severely injured and as soon as she had recovered she had been sent to N7 training. Upon graduation she had married her long time girlfriend Ashley Williams.

Shepard was one of the first soldiers to be fitted with hybrid human asari implants, Cora herself had a hybrid amp.

Initiative techs had backward engineered them for the biotics that had come to Andromeda.

Alex had ended up as the XO on the Normandy then as it's Captain chasing the rogue turian Spectre Saren who had led the Geth.

Cora hadn't heard about the Prothean beacon or about the nanites until a few hours ago. Dr T'Perro could explain how the nanites enhanced biotics.

Honestly Cora was worried, not about Alex's combat experience but about her mental state. Any soldier losing family would be on leave and the asari had lost ALL of them. Thank God she didn't have any kids.

Admittedly she would never have guessed by T'Soni's actions so far. But no one could bury that amount of emotion forever not even an N7 Spectre.

Lexi obviously knew who she was. Cora sighed, if the doc said Alex was fit for duty who was she to argue. Though she wanted to talk to Alex personally.

The team had just reached Site 2 and discovered the creature locked in the building.

"What's a fiend?"

Suvi immediately pulled up an image taken by the colonists. The creature was huge, it's body looked like a giant ape with long muscular forearms and short back legs, the head was the major difference it had large bony plates and spikes sticking out around its face.

"Kallo get us to Site 2."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

"That is VERY big," said Sara getting her first look at the sandy coloured fiend.

"I'd rather be facing a couple of krogan," admitted Alex.

"That's not helping!"

"I'll warp it you detonate it with a throw?" suggested Alex. Sara nodded.

The biotic detonation barely staggered the massive critter.

"I think we pissed it off," shouted Sara as it charged straight at her, she ran out of the way.

Alex emptied her assault rifles entire clip into it's body, they needed armour piercing ammo and heavy weapons. The biggest thing she had ever faced was a thresher maw but she'd had a Mako and a wrecked Grizzly tank.

Alex ignited one of her omni-blades and charged past it's back legs, her glowing blade slicing through the tendons in the back of its knees. The creature bellowed in agony as its back end crashed to the ground. The asari quickly backed off. The sounds it was making were awful.

"Sara get its attention." The Pathfinder waved her arms and the fiend began dragging itself towards her, Alex ignited her other blade and biotically boosted herself up onto its back and buried her two blades into its neck severing its spinal column. The creature jerked as it toppled over. Alex jumped down and rolled to her feet as the animal died.

"Wow." Sara was seriously impressed, hamstringing the thing had never entered her head.

Suddenly they both remembered the rest of their team and ran to help finish off the few remaining kett.

Of course Liam went to look at the dead fiend.

Vetra grinned, "So biotics and blades work too." They all heard the Tempest fly by overhead.

"Alright, lets find those scans and see where we need to go," said Sara, they split up to check the buildings while the Tempest landed just outside the settlement.

SAM. "Suvi would like some scans and samples from the fiend."

"I'm on it," said Sara, there was a sample kit in the Nomad. While she did that Vetra overlapped the new co-ordinates onto a map of the surrounding area.

"Is that a tower?" asked Liam.

"Don't think so," replied the turian, "There's three of them."

Sara returned carrying the specimen case and locked it back in it's place between the water tank and the toolbox. She glanced back to make sure she hadn't left anything behind and noticed Alex staring at the dead animal.

"Hey."

Alex looked over for a second, "Hi. How did it end up inside there?"

Sara shrugged, for a moment they were alone, "Alex?"

"Hmmm?"

"About before I'm really sorry." Sara swallowed nervously. "Everything just hit me at once and I took it out on you."

"So am I," said Alex, quietly, "I didn't mean to lie to you. And it's okay."

The pathfinder heaved a silent sigh of relief, "Can I ask you something?"

The asari nodded.

"Why did you…..sleep with me?"

"I didn't want to be alone," admitted Alex softly. She hadn't realised it herself until after Sara threw her out of her room.

Now that Sara knew the asari's history that statement told her a lot about how Alex had felt that last day in the Milky Way. "If you need anything I'm here for you okay."

Alex nodded, "Thanks. That goes for you too. Ask if you need help."

"You know I'll be asking you questions every five minutes, right?" said Sara only half joking, "Because I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing."

"I didn't when I was made a Spectre, so you know what I did?"

"What?"

"I trusted my instincts and the people around me. No matter how crazy things got everything always seemed to work out in the end."

Sara chewed her lip as she digested what the asari had just said.

"I don't know anything about being a Pathfinder," admitted Alex, "But Cora does. You won't need our help forever. Your dad picked you for a reason. You CAN do this."

Sara gave a thumbs up not quite trusting her voice at the faith that a Spectre was putting in her.

"You guys coming?" yelled Liam, waving at them from the Nomad, "We've triangulated the signal."

"Okay, lets drop Suvi's samples off first." The small detour took less than ten minutes then Sara headed quickly towards the source of the signal.

TBC….

A/N Hi guys thanks for reading :) Up next peebee. And thank you for the new follows and favs. If you'd like to review I'd appreciate it. Have fun. T-Rex :)


	15. Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

The entire trip Liam was coming up with wild suggestions on how he could kill a fiend solo.

"I think only a biotic vanguard can do that," said Vetra chuckling at the human.

"A shotgun with incendiary ammo might," continued Liam.

Sara glanced sideways at Alex in the seat next to her. Could her father have killed it that quickly? While Cora was the obvious choice to teach her all things Pathfinder Alex was the one to teach her how to fight.

"A grenade launcher?"

A beep came from the control console, "Okay guys we're getting close."

The three towers turned out to be three columns sticking up around a raised platform with a pedestal in the middle of it. The structure was surrounded with radiation shielding, someone had been studying it. There was scaffolding against one of the pillars with a scanner on top.

"I thought the logs said they'd picked up unusual readings?" said Alex looking around, "Not that they'd sent anyone to investigate."

"From the Nexus? Or an exile?" wondered Liam.

"Hey! I am NOT an exile!"

Alex spun round glowing blue to see another asari wearing a purple jacket. The only weapon she could see was some sort of pistol strapped to her hip.

"I know who you are, you're a Pathfinder I was beginning to think they made you guys up so we wouldn't give up hope."

"I'm Sara Ryder," said Sara a tad reluctantly, "And this is my team."

"Cool." The new arrival began shaking their hands, "I figured you'd all be human but hey….I'm Pelessaria B'Sayle but everyone calls me Peebee."

Sara had walked over to the pedestal and reached out her hand.

"DON'T!" yelled Peebee tackling the human out of the way and ended up sitting on her until the other asari hauled her off. "This place has defenses."

Alex helped Sara to her feet, "I don't see any."

"You're new so you haven't seen any Remtech yet."

"Remtech?"

"It's short for Remnant because all this is leftover tech from a really advanced civilization."

"We used this tech on Habitat 7," said Sara, "With some help from SAM." She stretched out her hand again and felt it began to tingle as the AI went to work.

It was then the defenses activated, robots like the one they had destroyed in the lab on Habitat 7 materialized out of thin air along with some smaller ones that hovered, luckily it didn't take long to kill them.

"Is anyone going to mention the robot things popping up out of nowhere?" asked Liam. "I guess it's not that different from floating mountains."

Sara returned to the pedestal and Alex watched as lights flickered on the columns until two separate shafts of light flashed from the top.

"I've been studying this tech for months and it's never done anything like this!" exclaimed Peebee, "This one is pinging two others that you need to reactivate. I'll stay here and gather as many readings as I can."

They couldn't fit the newcomer in the Nomad so they left her happily tapping away on her datapad.

"How did it feel?" asked Alex, "Interfacing with the Remtech?"

"A bit weird," admitted the new Pathfinder, "But SAM says this is safer than doing it directly like my...dad did."

Alex squeezed Sara's shoulder as they climbed into the Nomad. SAM had input the new coordinates, one was near a lake that had been flagged for a possible settlement site. The other seemed to be close to a kett base.

"We'll have to fight through that one," said Alex, considering their options, "Shall we get the harder target out of the way first?"

"It's closer too," added the turian.

"Sounds like a plan," agreed Sara, setting off quickly making the Nomad skid.

The kett base turned out to be much larger than they thought. It was a sprawling collection of interconnected structures but the kett themselves must have never considered being attacked as there were not that many guarding the road.

Sara let Alex take the lead, though for a vanguard she was being very careful, using cover most of the time.

Of course a few drop ships arrived with reinforcements. During the fight Alex used her sniper scope to see what lay ahead of them and noticed that the target building was covered with an orange shield dome.

"SAM how do we drop that thing?"

SAM."I detect several generators powering the shield. Destroy them." Before Alex could ask the AI to point out which ones he was talking about she found a yellow shimmer around a number machines.

"Cool thanks," The asari hadn't known the AI could do that. She shot it a few times until it sparked and exploded. Alex concentrated on the generators while the rest of the squad dealt with the kett. Once all the ones she could see from where she was then moved forward killing more kett. Vetra overloaded the next one. Did that mean SAM had told her what to look out for? Or did she have an implant already?

Getting her own implant had taken less than an hour and she had felt fine afterwards even with Lexi telling her to take it easy for a few hours. Sara had gotten hers at the same time, Cora and Liam already had them. Alex guessed that Vetra and any other newcomers probably had a choice about getting an implant or just being linked in via comms. She had overheard Lexi telling Sara that she was getting the same type of implant which implied there were different kinds.

Knowing that Alec had intended for his daughter to be the Pathfinder eventually made her think that the younger Ryder and maybe her brother had the same. During her brief conversation with Alec he had always referred to his SAM differently, he had obviously tweaked his SAM. Sara would also be able to see the shimmer. Alex was aware she didn't know as much as she should about the Initiatives rules. What did the leaders think of other races on the human Pathfinder team? Thought Sara was the ONLY Pathfinder they had and using the best people was a good idea regardless of what planet they were born on.

Slowly and surely they picked off the kett as they moved closer to the shielded structure which was perched on top of a rocky spire. Behind it back on solid ground was another three columns. The only way to it was over a single walkway leading from the building they were heading for.

"When we get over there, I'll cover the exit while you and SAM do your thing," said Alex.

Sara agreed military strategy was the ex Spectre's specialty, "Let's get that dome down first." She placed a singularity next to the last kett and Alex vanished in a blue streak to detonate it. A burst from her assault rifle finished it off.

SAM told Alex that the last two generators were on top of the building and behind it.

Alex used her jump-jet and then boosted her height with her biotics to reach the roof. Her target was protected by a small wall, there was no way to hit it from below, she used a warp to blow it up. The other was on the walkway, another warp made it spark and die.

The shield dropped and Alex hopped down to join the others and make sure the building was clear. As Sara walked into the main area a green glass like wall shattered and a large animal hit the floor followed by the oldest krogan Alex had ever seen, he was wearing brown armour that was decorated with teeth or tusks.

The krogan didn't pay them any mind as he went to the dead animal and began prying out one of its teeth with a small dagger.

"Drack!" said Vetra suddenly.

"Vetra, what are you doing here?" asked Drack, "Didn't expect to see you off Nexus."

"I'm with the Pathfinder," replied the turian, nodding towards Sara, "That Pathfinder."

"That doesn't explain why you're here except killing a lot of kett."

"We're turning some of the remtech on," replied Sara not sure how else to answer the question.

"We sure could use you," said Vetra. Alex agreed a krogan could pack a punch, but after what happened back on the Nexus she wasn't going to hold her breath.

"The sky will turn blue and the kett will keel over before I help Nexus again," grumbled Drack finally pulling his prize free. He glanced at Alex, "Never seen you before?"

"Alex T'Soni, ex spectre." the old krogan knew there was more to it than that but he left without a backward look. He actually reminded her a little of Wrex.

"That was Drack of clan Nakmor," said Vetra suddenly realizing that he hadn't introduced himself.

"Impressive entrance," commented Sara scanning the dead creature, "This is one of the cloaking things the kett use like dogs."

"It's ugly," said Liam, wrinkling his nose, "Stinks too."

"We call them Wraiths." Vetra informed them.

Alex had started looking around and found a body in a small side room. The man had been in his early thirty's. "SAM do you have any idea who this poor sod was?"

SAM."I have sent his ID to the tempest."

"Gross!" Alex turned to see Sara make a hasty retreat, she followed to make sure her friend was okay.

Sara had stopped just outside, "How do you get used to seeing stuff like that?"

"You don't," admitted Alex, "You learn to use it."

Sara nodded, glancing at their destination. "Let's get moving."

"I'll keep watch here." said Alex, so far both Vetra and Liam had shown they could handle themselves she wanted to know how much actual combat experience they had. Sara might not be military but Grissom had taught her the basics and she was sure Alec would have taught her a few tricks as well. Until she had a better idea she wasn't leaving either of them alone in a definitely hostile environment. All was quiet until she heard the resonating hum of the pillars activating.

The kett hadn't sent any more reinforcements so they quickly made it back to the Nomad.

"One left," said Liam enthusiastically.

"You didn't notice that the last one wasn't pointing at the last location, did you?" asked Vetra.

"Um no….."

"Looks like these are some sort of start up sequence," mused Sara as she drove back to the dirt track, they had passed a turn off a little way back. That path was heading in the right direction.

"Although the kett are interested in the tech they can't activate it," commented Alex, if the tech was all over the cluster it could explain how they'd seen the same species on here and back on Habitat 7. Were the Remnant trying to terraform the whole of the Heleus Cluster?

The path took them into a dark tunnel leading under a rocky hill, inside they came under fire.

Sara slammed on the breaks. Alex was out first and charged the closest kett. The darkness gave her an advantage her enhanced eyesight and SAM telling her the distance allowed her to see and charge every kett shooting at them. The rest were picking off targets from the Nomad.

Eventually it fell silent and they split up to see what the kett were doing. Liam found a stasis pod from the Nexus, it's occupant was gone and they could guess there fate if they survived the landing.

"A lot of pods were lost when the Nexus hit the scourge," said Vetra with a sigh.

Sara shuddered, luckily the Hyperion hadn't been that badly damaged.

Liam picked up some small pieces of tech for Suvi and Gil to play with.

Quickly the resumed their journey. The last location was different, it was built on top of a foundation of geometric shaped blocks. It wasn't shielded but the radiation levels dropped dramatically when they got close. So did the temperature.

"Okay I'm convinced," announced Liam, "If this tech can do this here then why not the rest of the planet."

"We haven't turned it on yet," said Sara, pointing to a collection or rembots standing idly around. They'd already seen two of the types but there was another larger one that looked like a ball stood on two legs and a shield around it.

While the team were stood still and not a threat the rembots ignored them. They were going to have distract the robots while Sara got to the pedestal.

Alex ordered Vetra to overload the big one then concentrate on the others while she'd warp it and follow with a charge if it hadn't gone down. Liam was to keep Sara covered.

"Ready?" asked Alex.

"SAM says activating this might reset the rembots," said Sara, "So get clear as soon as we do."

Alex nodded then waved at the turian with her hand with swirling blue energy.

Vetra sent an overload at the largest enemy the biotic detonation staggered it which allowed Alex to catch a few of the little flying ones in a singularity. The asari did charge the big one and used her omni-blades to lop off its legs. To make sure it was dead she slammed her hand down in a nova.

Suddenly all the rembots froze.

"MOVE!" yelled Sara as the pillars were rebooting, it gave everyone just enough time to get to a safe distance. When the rembots started moving again they seemed to have forgotten about them. "They should leave us alone now."

"Cool," grinned Liam, "Where to now boss?"

"We're being pointed to a spot in the middle of the lake," replied Sara.

"Like underwater?" asked Vetra nervously, turians were notoriously bad swimmers.

"Only one way to find out," said Sara heading back to the Nomad. At least the Tempest could land and Cora could switch places with Vetra if she had to, they'd make a solid plan when they found out what they had to deal with. This would tell them once and for all if the Remnant tech could make Eos livable. If it did then the other Golden Worlds could be fixed too. So when the other arks finally showed up there would be somewhere for them to settle.

"No pressure," muttered Sara to herself. Of course Alex heard her.

"I've got your back."

Sara nodded and now at least she knew who the asari was and what she was capable of. Alex had been known to pull off the impossible and that's what she needed.

"Thanks, so….Let's do this."

TBC….

A/N. Hi guys. Sorry for skipping last week. I spent all last week in hospital with pneumonia :( I'm home now and chilling. I had half of this done and I finished it in a notebook. I also did a few chapters for my other stories. I just need to type them out and post them so expect a few quick chapters. :)

Thanks for all the follows and favs. (I still love reviews :p). I hope you are all happy and healthy. Have fun T-Rex :)


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

The signal led to a massive muddy brown watered lake with a single pedestal by the shore line and a tiny sandy island not far off.

Alex watched the pathfinder scanning the surrounding area certain that she was having a private conversation with SAM. None of the remtech on Eos was like Habitat 7. There was no tower, not even the remains of one. The tempest had landed nearby and the whole ground team was waiting by the Nomad. Kallo could lift off at the first sign of danger. They'd also sent a message to Peebee who knew more about remtech than all of them combined which would no doubt come in handy. The ex spectre wasn't technically minded, it was more Sara's department. Which would made her the perfect Pathfinder once she had some more self confidence and until then Alex was going to watch her back.

Meanwhile Cora was studying both the younger Ryder and the ex spectre, Now she knew who Alex was a lot of things made sense, like her age, Alec's trust and why she was on the human ark. She had never met a spectre though she had heard how some of them played fast and loose with the rules. Although Alex had been in the military all her adult life she seemed to value common sense above actual army regs. Cora herself was a stickler for following the rules, spending time with asari commandos had forced her to learn to think on her feet and to trust her instincts, she was still working on that part. The sound of an approaching shuttle interrupted her musings.

Peebee had arrived.

Now that the gang was all here Sara decided to activate the pedestal. SAM couldn't tell her what it would do. A moment later she stumbled back as the ground started to shake.

"EARTHQUAKE!" yelled Liam, then he gasped as a single story remtech structure rose up out of the small island and a black bridge rippled from their side of the lake to the island.

Secretly Sara had been hoping that a tower like the one on Habitat 7 had popped up. They about to venture into the unknown. She glanced over at her team, most of them were staring at the island except Alex who gave her a reassuring smile. "Okay. Let's do this."

"Do you think it's flooded?" asked Vetra a little nervously.

"No," replied the new Pathfinder, "If it was I'm guessing any water would have been pumped out."

"How do you figure that?"

"All the other buildings have been above ground and remember the Golden world's were ideal habitats for us."

"600 years ago," agreed Cora.

"So who's going down the rabbit hole?" asked Alex.

"How does an asari know about that?" Liam raised a confused eyebrow.

"Rabbit? What rabbit?" asked Peebee.

Alex didn't reply not in the mood to tell the others her true identity, not yet anyway.

"I'm going," piped up Peebee.

Sara looked around the group, Okay, Vetra, Liam you two stay up top keep the area clear." As soon as she finished speaking Cora and Alex had fallen in. Peebee was literally vibrating with excitement.

Sara squared her shoulders and started forward hesitating only briefly before stepping onto the rolling remtech bridge. It was solid enough.

The structure was black and triangular. SAM helped Sara access the main door, the interior was dark and silent.

"This can't be right," said Peebee, pacing. "All this just to lead us to an empty room."

Sara grinned a little at the use of 'us'. "I think we go down." SAM had already detected a hatchway in the floor.

"Open sesame."

"Of course that wasn't the front door...this is." Peebee's enthusiasm returned.

If they expected a lift they were disappointed, there was nothing.

Alex kicked a small stone near her foot and was surprised that it floated down instead of dropping.

"A gravity well?"

"Only one way to find out," said Sara with a mischievous grin and stepped off the ledge. She passed layers of light on the way down.

"This place must be huge," said Peebee from somewhere above her. "Like a bunker or a vault."

The chamber they landed in was massive with a high platform at one end and a gigantic set of doors at the other. For once Peebee was speechless as she stared around like a kid in a candy store.

Alex and Cora were both far more wary in case they were attacked.

Nothing.

Not even any rembots.

There was a single pedestal which Sara walked over too, she waited until the ex spectre and ex commando were in position on either side. Sara held her hand over it and let SAM do his thing. The doors slid apart.

Alex's vision blurred for a moment then cleared allowing her to see a number of large pipes under the floor, she guessed that was SAM telling them to follow them. She nodded as Sara ordered them to do just that.

Peebee heard SAM over her comm. The corridor split in two.

"Which way?" asked Cora.

"You go that way," said Peebee, "I'll go this way. I'm better on my own anyway."

"You haven't watched many horror vids, have you? Sara really didn't want anybody off by themselves in a place none of them knew anything about, not even Peebee. The newcomer didn't have SAM to help her either. But she was a guest not part of her squad and the new Pathfinder didn't think Peebee would listen to her.

"I'll go with her," offered Alex, seeing the concern on her friends face.

Peebee scowled, "I don't need any help."

"Think you'll still be saying that if 50 rembots are chasing your tail?" Alex was amused. She had no doubt that the other asari could look after herself but she was sure she'd never seen a real battle.

Peebee snorted. "So what would YOU do?"

"Turn them into scrap metal...piece of cake. Besides I'll just follow you."

"FINE!" Peebee turned and stalked off.

"Alex be careful," said Sara seriously.

"You too."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

SAM let Alex open doors but advised against trying to operate any of the pedestals they found. A fact that made the other asari green with envy. They did find a small spherical object on one that Peebee picked up, she wondered if it was a symbol of authority.

The next room they entered was pitch black, Alex's eyes adjusted automatically and she watched Peebee pull on a pair of goggles, night vision most likely.

"Can you see?"

"Yeah, come on." Alex was on edge, the only remtech they had seen were light ball poles that popped up whenever they were near them. She hoped that it was a simple automatic scanner and their progress wasn't being tracked in some alien control room. Though that seemed unlikely as no one had intercepted them yet. The next door opened into the largest cavern that Alex had ever seen.

"I wish you could see this Ash."

"Whose Ash?"

Alex jumped flaring blue she had totally forgotten about her companion. "She is….was someone very special." She couldn't quite keep the emotion she was feeling out of her voice. Peebee showed unexpected sensitivity and didn't comment.

Sara's voice came over their comms. " _Guys we think we just found a library. Look out for energy panels, Alex your scanner will pick them up."_

Peebee huffed and set off quickly so when she turned a corner she ran smack bang into a stationary rem-bot. Before she could react it was enveloped in blue biotic energy and slammed into the floor.

Peebee sheepishly thanked the ex spectre, "At least it wasn't 50 of them."

In response Alex cocked her head to the side then unclipped her assault rifle.

"I spoke too soon?"

Grimly Alex nodded, "Do exactly what I say when I say." Her tone left no room for debate.

Peebee ducked behind cover and pulled out her pistol. "How many?"

"A lot. Or something with a lot of legs."

The change made Peebee glance over suspiciously, was the ex spectre yanking her chain? Then she heard something tapping on the ground and it was getting closer. She gripped her sidewinder tightly then suddenly stood up, "I'll try the sphere we found."

"Peebee!"

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Sara used her jump-jets to clear a very deep chasm to land on a black pillar. Whoever designed this place was making it very hard to get to their destination. A pedestal would activate pillars allowing them to across giant gaps too far for their jump-jets. She had been scanning everything, at that moment she was running her scanner over a large gnarled tree that was growing underground in the dark with no water.

"Rembots," said Cora quietly.

"We had to see some eventually," sighed Sara unholstering her weapon. "Maybe it means we're getting close."

Cora nodded.

Sara tapped her comm, "How you guys doing?"

" _Okay,"_ replied Peebee, sounding slightly breathless, _"That sphere isn't a sign of authority, they still shot at me!"_

" _I'm sending you a recording of the frequency that a rem-bot was using to repair a damaged section of wall,"_ added Alex, _"It might be useful."_

"Thanks."

"Let's deal with these bots, shall we?" Cora nodded, the two biotics working together made short work of the eight or so bots that got in their way. Sara was thankful that Alex had taught her to work with another biotic though she felt more comfortable with the ex spectre, she honestly felt like Cora would grade her performance at the end. And she still wondered how her father could possibly think she was good enough for filling his shoes.

Shortly after that they would have been stumped without Alex's data when they found a malfunctioning pedestal that was denying them entry into another chamber where SAM was getting very powerful readings.

"Think this is it?" asked Sara, even though SAM had told her the pipes they were following ended beyond this final set of doors. Before opening then she told Alex and Peebee to head back to the entrance.

As soon as the doors separated Sara squinted at the bright light from a stream of energy stretching from floor to ceiling. A pedestal nearby.

"Let's do this."

Cora kept careful watch she was shocked that there were no rembots here unless no one expected anybody to get this far. "Sara be careful."

Sara held out her hand and felt SAM interact with the alien tech. It made her fingers tingle. As the pedestal sank into the ground the energy flow suddenly reversed and all the hair on her body stood on end.

SAM. "I am registering a massive energy spike."

Sara heard a roaring sound like the wind, with SAM's adjusted eyesight she saw a dark approaching cloud vaporizing everything it touched.

"RUN!"

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Peebee checked her omnitool just after the Pathfinder told them she was about to activate the gigantic atmosphere scrubber.

"I'm getting energy readings," said Peebee excitedly then sounded worried, "Like really off the charts!"

"Move it." Alex set off at a sprint with the other asari hot on her heels, just seconds before she heard Sara's frantic one word order over the comms.

SAM was guiding them back by the shortest route but still Alex was hoping the Peebee was fit enough to keep up the pace the AI was setting. Her ears caught the sound of running feet in the distance. The two groups met at another gravity well.

"Where does this go?" gasped Peebee, resting her hands on her knees for a second.

"Away from here," replied Sara stepping into it and quickly rising up the shaft. At the top they sprinted past a pedestal to a door that Sara couldn't open.

"Shit!" then she glanced back at the alien device and ran to it as the cloud was blowing right at them. Sara closed her eyes and gritted her teeth as the deadly vapor was about to swallow her only to find a blue biotic barrier appear around her as the pedestal activated and the dark cloud was sucked back into the darkness.

SAM. Surface access has been established.

Alex let her barrier drop as she took a deep breath. The thought of losing Sara had half scared her to death.

"Nothing like outrunning a man eating cloud to get your juices flowing," quipped Peebee.

The other three looked at her as if she was crazy.

"I can think of safer ways to do that," said Sara, glancing at Alex. A look that didn't go unnoticed. "Come on guys lets get back to our ship."

"We can figure out all this new data there," agreed Peebee.

"You coming with us?"

"You need a remtech expert."

"Okay get your stuff."

"I only need a footlocker, some clean underwear and my datapad. I'll meet you on the Nexus, besides I..er..need to return the shuttle I borrowed."

"Lets get back to the tempest."

The gravity well leading to the surface wasn't that far away and any rembots they passed pretty much ignored them so long as they kept their distance.

The difference in temperature and radiation levels was immediately noticeable though SAM informed them that some pockets of radiation would take longer to clear but for right now Eos was suitable for a colony to settle and the Nexus needed food.

As soon as they were on the tempest Sara called Addison and told her the good news. Her reply almost floored the young Pathfinder.

"What do you mean I have to choose?!"

TBC…..

A/N. Hi guys. Long time no see. I am sorry, work is really busy. And my laptop went cuckoo on me and I only got it back. So as promised CrashReaper1994 one chapter of Alex :). Thank you all for reading and for following and fav'ing.(My other stories too, especially my Supergirl one). I hope you enjoy it. Please review. Stay tuned. Have fun T-Rex :)


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